


The Prodigy

by FoxxyJones



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-08-06
Packaged: 2017-11-11 14:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/479513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxxyJones/pseuds/FoxxyJones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The untold stories of a former loser's trials in teaching the brightest prodigy of the mighty Hyuuga clan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kakashi's Warning

**Author's Note:**

> .: This story is a work in progress:.

“Yo, Gai! You made it!”

I waved, pushing the hanging aside to enter the bar from which my friends had greeted me. “Hey, Kakashi! Asuma! How’s life?”

“Same as always,” Kakashi slapped me on the back as I took a seat next to him. “Heard you just got off a mission.”

“Psh! Mission! It was barely a workout.” And it certainly had been. Delivering messages was a poor excuse for a mission. It was genin work, but times were peaceful and honest-to-goodness, rightful shinobi work was not necessary or easy to come by.

Asuma laughed, a laugh as vibrant and youthful as he was. “You take life too seriously, Gai! These easy times aren’t going to last!”

Kakashi lifted his glass lightly and waved it, stating, “Here’s to hoping.”

“Kakashi! That’s a terrible thing to say!” I scolded. “We should always pray and hope for times of peace!”

“And we do, but no one should have too much of a good thing,” Kakashi waved down the bartender and turned to me. “What’re you drinking, Gai? Domestic?”

I waved the suggestion away politely. “I’ll pass.”

Kakashi stared as if he had not heard me. “Import? That’s not like you.”

“No, rival. I’m passing altogether.”

Asuma leaned over to stare at me, as well. “Why?”

My lips curled until I was practically beaming. How could I keep such amazing and wonderful news to myself? I was just dying to tell absolutely everyone, so with a smile as wide as a mile, I announced loudly and proudly: “I’m getting kids!”

“With what woman!”

I shot Kakashi a nasty look. “You know what I mean, Kakashi. The Academy is about to graduate a powerful and elite class and I want in on all that raw youth!”

Asuma chuckled, raising his glass to his lips. “Already, Gai? You’ve still got a bit of youth in you yourself.”

“More than a bit, Asuma! But all that youth comes with its follies and I’ve got to keep those in check, starting with my bad habits!”

“You don’t even have them yet,” Kakashi murmured absently, rolling his eyes. “And why are drinking? You’re a grown man. It’s your right to drink. Why not give up something easier, like women?”

I scoffed lightly. “Kakashi, I already respect women and do not sleep around with too many-“

“More like any.”

“-Women are not my problem! But, what if my students see me drinking and decide they want to follow sensei’s example? They’ll start drinking underage and the next thing you know, they’ll be robbing little old ladies to pay for drug addictions!”

“That’s a little over-dramatic, Gai-“

“It is unacceptable and I will not be responsible for that. I also won’t be responsible for things like foul language, smoking, pornography or any such unsavory acts- no offense, Asuma.”

Asuma took out his pack of cigarettes and tapped one out. “None taken.”

“What about me? I’m a little offended by the pornography comment.”

“Shut up, rival. I do not condone your filthy smut books.”

“Romance.”

“Porn.”

Kakashi shrugged and rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I guess it’s a noble and self-sacrificing task anyway, so why not start early?”

“Precisely, Kakashi! I’m glad you see it my way!” Then I remembered something very important and my grin immediately disappeared. “Hey, why have I not heard anything about your team yet, rival? You did sign up for a team, didn’t you? You said you’d do it with me.”

Kakashi rolled his eyes absently, swirling the sake around in his glass. “Yeah… well, my application was late and there was this cat-“

“Like hell, rival. Be serious. Did you skip out on your promise to me? We agreed we would do this together!”

Kakashi set his glass down and put his hands up disarmingly. “Alright, alright. I’ll admit it. I didn’t do it. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to, Gai. I just don’t think I could handle it if… well, you know.”

I leaned forward expectantly. “If what? If you are worried about failing, I assure you that you are most capable and that you would be an excellent teacher, even if you are rough around the edges as a role model!”

“Oh no, no, no. It’s not that. It’s just that…” Kakashi shuddered, turning to Asuma. “You know what I’m talking about, don’t you, Asuma?”

Asuma nodded solemnly. “Yeah. I know. That’s why I didn’t go for it this year either.”

“What? What?!” I implored insistantly. “Why didn’t you guys get teams this year? What are you so worried about?”

“You really don’t know, Gai?” Kakashi looked around, exchanged an uneasy glance with Asuma, then leaned in and whispered, “They’re graduating Neji Hyuuga this year.”

“Neji Hyuuga?” I thought back, thinking of the child that was being praised as a prodigy and a powerful son of the Hyuuga clan. I shrugged. “So?”

“So?” Kakashi sounded surprised, confused even. “Gai, I’d be a little more concerned if I were you.”

I shrugged. “Why? He’s just a child.”

Kakashi looked over to Asuma, who shook his head as if he pitied me. Kakashi turned back and his voice dropped to a foreboding whisper. “That’s the thing, Gai. He’s not just a kid. Hell, he’s might not even be human.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh please, Kakashi. Now whose being dramatic?”

Kakashi shook his head, never taking his eyes off me. “You don’t get it, Gai. Haven’t you heard? At least five of his teachers quit.”

“I heard he made one of them wet himself,” Asuma chimed.

I frowned suspiciously, but I could feel my heard beginning to race. “I’ve never heard of such instances. All I have heard is that he is truly a genius.”

“Psh, an evil genius. I’ve heard from Iruka that his Byakugan is so powerful, it can see into your very soul and read your greatest fears and weaknesses; and he’s brutal. One of those teachers ended up killing herself.”

“Suicide rate in students went up when he entered, too,” Asuma added. “Apparently it’s not so fun being his classmate either.”

“No kidding. They’re all afraid to spar with him and with the suicide rate being what it is, it makes you wonder if they’re actually killing themselves…”

My heart leapt. “What? Kakashi! Don’t say such things!”

“Didn’t you wonder why they were graduating such a small class this year?”

“I… I figured they just had a lot of dropouts…” Now that I thought about it, every time I visited the Academy in the months before there had been less and less students and the graduating class was now just nine or ten individuals.

“No. Apparently this kid’s already mastered the Gentle Fist.”

“That’s impossible-!”

“I’m telling you, Gai,” Kakashi warned softly, eying me with his good eye. “You’d best do everything in your power to make sure you don’t end up with this kid.”

“How…” My voice broke. I cleared my throat. “How do you know all this? The Academy teachers are horrible gossips! They blow things way out of proportion all the time!”

“The Hyuuga are the worst gossips in the village, but you wouldn’t doubt their knowledge,” Kakashi retorted firmly. He picked up his glass again. “Besides… they’re scared of him, too.”

I could not stop myself from swallowing nervously. “How… how do you know?”

“I’ve seen the way they look at him. I delivered a message to one of their elders and I saw several of them step out of his way. It’s a fact, Gai, that Hyuugas don’t move aside for anyone.”

I felt a tremor go down my legs. I glanced over to Asuma, who was nodding in somber agreement. My hands began shaking. “I don’t believe you. Either of you. The Hokage would never-“

“Gai, that kid is going to be a great ninja one day. It’s in the Hokage’s best interest to keep him around. At least… until he snaps, but by then…” Kakashi paused and gave a little shudder. “Who knows?”

The shaking got worse until I could feel it in my jaw. I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering. Surely…! Surely…!

Kakashi shrugged and suddenly cheered up, downing his glass of sake and taking a generous refill. “Well, no worries, Gai! I’m sure you’ll be okay. Right, Asuma?”

“Naturally,” Asuma grinned and reached around Kakashi to give me a fond pat on the shoulder. “I’m sure you can handle whatever the Hokage throws at you.”

I was still clenching my teeth, so all I could do was nod. I slid out of my seat carefully.

“Aw, where are you going, Gai?” Kakashi complained. “The night’s still young!”

I shook my head. “T… training. You’re right. The night is indeed still young!”

I waved a fast goodbye and made a beeline to the training grounds where I fully intended to train the thoughts of this horrifying child out of my head. I heard Kakashi and Asuma’s laughter echo in my head for most of the way.


	2. Form! Team Gai!

I woke up two or so months later to a wonderful 4 AM alarm, unable to hold in my excitement any longer. Today was the big day. I had much to do before the Hokage arrived at his office that morning. I had to get dressed, eat, shower and get all my morning training in so that I would not miss a second of the glorious day.

Oh, there was so much to do and such little time to do it in! Once I had the names of my youthful little charges, I would have a mere three days to prepare myself mentally and physically for their special arrival. What little time! What precious little time!

I got all my morning activities done in record time, a feat I am proud of to this day. Three hundred laps, two hundred sit-ups, two hundred push-ups and a hundred reps with my weight set (an admittedly light work-out. I do not believe in straining oneself before breakfast). I was drenched in the youthful sweat of my achievement, but I could not think of anything else except my excitement. I just could not wait any longer! At 5:17, I decided to forgo my shower until I returned with my new team, grabbed a box of cereal and ran all the way up to the Hokage’s office to wait for him.

When I arrived, I was still too early. I could not sit still, though. Energy was pulsing through my body. I ran the length of the building, up and down stairs, on my feet, on my hands, backwards and forwards. By 5:45, I was merely pacing in front of the Hokage’s office, eating my cereal. It was in this time that I wondered what my new team would be like.

I certainly hoped that youthful Lee kid was one of them! I had met the little rascal about a year back and had been inspired to teach by his struggle for success. I had heard rumors that the kid had ended up dropping out of the Academy- through no lack of trying!- and I had put in a special request. I certainly believed it to have been quite convincing. I wanted to get to know this kid, to be there for him- when he needed me, when he failed and when he succeeded. I was sure the Hokage would never deny such a heartfelt request!

As for the others, I just hoped they would like me. I was by no means unlikeable and I definitely tried to be as kind and friendly as I could be, but I did not click with people right away and such a thing was important with children! While I had never heard of a teacher being completely incompatible with their students, there was certainly a first for everything and I did not want to be _that_ teacher. The Hokage was famous for his ability to match students with the teacher best suited to each of their individual needs, but… I was a little harder than most to find ‘compatible’. That was just how it was.

I heard the Hokage’s footsteps and it brought me out of my thoughts immediately. Absolute joy rushed my system and I charged him, almost shoving him right back down the stairs. “Hokage-sama! They’re ready, right?! The results? You’re ready! Ca-!”

The Hokage just laughed lightly and waved me away, scooting his way around. “Yes, yes, Gai, they’re ready. I knew you’d be here, so I have yours waiting on my desk. Have you been here all night?”

“Of course not. That’d be ridiculous!” I replied, watching anxiously as the Hokage fished the key to the door out of his robe. God, it took an eternity! It was as if time itself was against me as that key just dragged from his sleeve, slid slowly into the lock and just struggled to push the tumblers inside.

I heard the click and almost kicked the door down, slamming it open and darting inside. I was giddy with excitement. I could not help it! “Hokage-sama, tell me they’re amazing! No, don’t tell me! I want to read about them. No, I can’t wait. Tell me! Tell me! No! I’ll meet them! God, I want to meet them-!”

“You will, you will, Gai,” The Hokage laughed, easing himself down into his chair. “I’ve never met a man so eager to teach.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now where are they? Where are they!”

“Right here,” The Hokage lifted a small scroll from his desk and handed it to me. “I think you’ll be most plea-“

I grabbed the scroll and threw it open so quickly, half of it skidded across the floor. I read as quickly as I could, eager to find out which lucky students I had been blessed with.

Tenten, female, age 12. Skilled in accuracy, observance and taijutsu. Strong-willed and clever. A wonderful and gorgeous young flower to add to my team!

My heart skipped a beat. Rock Lee! The Hokage had granted my request! How amazingly wonderful! My excitement overwhelmed me. There was no way my team could get any better! My youthfully diligent Lee, my clever and accurate little Tenten! Who could possibly be awesome enough to complete the three-man team that was Team 9-

Then my heard stopped all together.

My jaw dropped.

The final member of my team… was Neji Hyuuga.

“Gai? Is something wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I tried to say something, but nothing would come out. I was trembling. The scroll was shaking so badly in my hands that I could no longer read it. His name was dancing, almost coming off the page. I stuttered, shaking my head. “H-Hokage-sama! This-! This can’t be right!”

The Hokage’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean? I thought you would be pleased. They’re all focused on taijutsu and seem keen on honing their skills-“

“No, no! I am so pleased in that aspect, but…! I…! Why?! Why him?!”

The Hokage looked very surprised. “Him? Certainly you don’t mean Rock Lee?”

“Of course not! I could not be happier! I mean why… why Neji?”

The Hokage stared at me for a moment, then his face grew soft with understanding. “I understand it is daunting to take on such a highly acclaimed child, but you’ll be fine. There is no doubt in my mind that there is no one better to teach him.”

I glanced at the paper and back up several times. Acclaimed was not the word I would have used. Feared would have been much closer. I shook my head. “Are you sure…?”

“Absolutely.”

I could not handle this! This just could not be! “S-surely-?”

“My decision is final, Gai,” The Hokage interrupted calmly.

“Hokage-sama… I don’t know…”

“Gai,” The Hokage leaned forward in his desk and set his folded hands on the table. “If I did not believe you fit for teaching, I would not have appointed you as a teacher. If I believed for a second that any of these children would not benefit and succeed under your care, I would never have placed them there. Trust me to know what I’m doing.”

Being chastised by the Hokage was not easy and I wanted more than anything to believe him, but I already believed Kakashi and I could not believe both. I could not even speak. I just nodded as I rolled up the scroll and tucked it into my pocket. I bowed in silence and left the office.

I walked back home in a daze. In three days… I would be put face-to-face with a child that- before his twelfth birthday- had terrorized his chunin-level teachers, killed his classmates and struck fear into the hearts of the great Hyuuga clan. God knew what he would do to me, say to me. I did not even know my worst fear, my greatest weaknesses. I was not sure I could face them, especially from the mouth of a- of this… this… child!

Regardless, I did my best to suck it up and prepare to the best of my abilities. I arranged a permanent training grounds, where I could train my students every day from dawn to dusk if we so chose. I made several large purchases, including a variety of weapons numbering in the hundreds, three set of heavy ankle weights and several youth-sized versions of my own special, custom-ordered suit. Those three days went by in a whirlwind and the biggest day of my life came upon me like a pouncing lion.

I was hardly even ready for it. I walked to the Academy with the feelings of a man walking to his execution. I could not believe that I was so frightened of a child I had yet to meet, but Kakashi had done his best on me. My legs were shaking as I climbed the stairs, my hand trembled as it touched the door handle. I closed my eyes, bracing myself and just took a deep breath. I could do this! I had fought in a war, gone on many dangerous missions, stared into the eyes of death. These were children. This was a child. This was nothing.

I twisted the handle and pushed the door open, stepping out onto the balcony. This was the first look I had of my youthful new team and it is something I will never forget.

“Gai-sensei!”

Ah, that was my precious Rock Lee! His face had lit up with radiant energy the moment I stepped through the door and it only seemed to brighten more the longer he basked in my presence. I could hardly help a smile. Such excitement and youthful wonder in the eyes of a child made my heart swell and I felt the tremors in my limbs cease. How he had grown in the past year!

My eyes moved on to the beautiful flower of my team- my little Tenten- just as her eyes shifted from Lee to me. She certainly did not look thrilled, but her brown eyes flickered over me as if she were assessing a target.

I could feel those eyes before I even met them and my heart quailed before I dared to shift my gaze over. Those deathly white eyes seized my own and locked. Those eyes did not flicker as Tenten’s had, were not bright nor excited like Lee’s. Even the haughty arrogance in his face did not extend into them. They were blank, fathomless, full of a deep something yet void of emotion. They narrowed suddenly, as if focusing down to a single thought within my brain and for a moment, I thought he was reading my mind. Then, they closed bitterly and I was freed. I tried to shake the feeling of dread the way it was shaking me, turning back to my team with a mask of confidence. “Alright! How are you all?”

I received an enthusiastic “Fantastic!” from Lee, a murmured “Alright.” from Tenten and no response at all from Neji. I chuckled lightly. “Excellent. You know by now that my name is Maito Gai and I am going to be your sensei for the next few years.”

Lee looked like the excitement would be too much for him, but the statement drew no strong feelings in the others.

I began to feel awkward in the face of these children who were expecting so much from me, but I kept pushing my fake confidence, hoping to get them to open up. “So, as your new teacher, I want to know about you guys. Name, fighting style, what you expect to learn and at least one thing you want me to know about you.”

Lee’s hand went up so fast he nearly fell off his seat. “Sensei!”

I chuckled lightly, waving towards him. “Yes?”

“Yes! My name is Rock Lee! My fighting style is strictly taijutsu! I expect to learn great things from you, sensei, like how to become a great ninja in the face of opposition! I want you to know that I am going to succeed in my goals no matter what, regardless of what I have to pay to achieve them!”

His determination did not surprise me, although the pride I felt for him was overwhelming. My face was nothing but a dumb grin when I replied, “Excellent, Lee! A wonderful and youthful example of the kind of enthusiasm I expect from you guys! Now…?”

Tenten raised her hand carefully, but fully extended. “Tenten. I use taijutsu, too. I expect to learn how to be a better shinobi. That’s why I was put here, right? And I want you to know that I’m just as capable as these two and I want to be taught on the same level, despite the fact that I’m a girl.”

Regardless of all her hesitation, her expectations were quite clear and surprisingly enough, I was relieved. “Tenten, it is delightful and refreshing to see that the Academy can still graduate such strong girls!”

Tenten scoffed sarcastically, leaning down to rest her chin on her hand. “I’m one of a kind, sensei.”

I laughed. Her sense of humor would be welcome. Confident in how things were going, I turned to my more stoic student and tentatively asked, “Neji…?”

The boy looked at me with an expression of absolute loathing. “Neji Hyuuga. Gentle Fist. I expect to learn nothing from you. That’s all you should need to know.”

My god, that voice. Never in a million years would I think a child could or should sound like that. It sent a cold shiver down my spine, one that I could hardly hide, and turned my insides to jelly. Worse, there was no doubt he believed what he said and that was daunting enough as it was.

“What about you, sensei?”

I turned curiously, grateful to hear a more youthful voice.

She tilted her head. “What’s your style? What do we need to know?”

My little flower was so inquisitive! I placed my hands on my hips and grinned, shoving my nerves back down in favor of my favorite topics. “Luckily for you all, I excel in taijutsu! There are no substitutions. Real ninjitsu is based in the body and the heart, not in chakra and trickery! I expect to learn your goals and desires over the course of your time with me and make them realities. Know that I expect great things from you as well, and that my goal is to bring those great things out!”

I saw the spark of hope flash in Tenten’s eyes. I knew I had said what she wanted to hear. My smile grew bigger. “But, that’s my goal. I want to hear yours. What are your beliefs? What are your reasons for being shinobi?”

Tenten’s hand was up first this time. “I want to be a great and powerful ninja so I can walk in the footsteps of the legendary kunoichi, Tsunade-sama, because I want to be an amazing female ninja, too!”

The way she beamed with pride made me teary-eyed. I put it in the back of my mind to research Tsunade in depth when the day was done, to better strive for Tenten’s lofty goal. I looked over to see Lee’s eyes shining in admiration. I turned to Neji and he looked disgusted with her. I frowned. “Neji?”

Those eyes narrowed and turned away. My frown deepened, but such a blatant disregard for personal goals inspired a youthful outburst from my precious Lee, whose hand shot up with an excited cry. “Gai-sensei! I want to show I can be a splendid ninja, as well! Even if I do not have ninjutsu or genjutsu! That means everything to me!”

I smiled, feeling the tears really start. Such fiery passion, such single-minded enthusiasm! How could I not aim for that understandable goal-!

Then I heard it.

A short, humorless laugh that sent ice cold shivers down my spine. Lee surged from his seat, rounding viciously on the source. “Just what is so funny!”

Those cold eyes slid over to Lee and Neji’s lips were curled in a condescending smirk. “Your goals are laughable. A shinobi without ninjutsu is useless. You are destined to be a failure until the day you die,” Those eyes narrowed and that smirk twitched mercilessly. “And you will reach that point faster than you can imagine.”

His cold voice resonated with finality, as if these things were inevitable, as if he were cursing Lee personally. Lee sputtered, choking on righteous fury. While my heart ached for Lee’s dreams, the bitterness between the two seemed… right.

I forced a laugh, slapping a hand on Lee’s shoulder. “A healthy rivalry is good for the body, Lee! You two will be each others greatest assets, you’ll see.”

Those cold eyes narrowed viciously, as if Neji was both insulted and disgusted by the very idea. Starting such a strong rivalry- of pitting loser against genius- made my heart long for my days of youth. Such energy and extraordinary goals made my heart race and the blood rush in my ears. Even Neji’s lack of respect and enthusiasm for me could not turn that familiar feeling away. I was eager to get my students out into the world, to start their training immediately. I was pumped! “Alright! Let’s get out there and train!”

“Already?” Tenten inquired disbelievingly.

“What better time than the present, Tenten? No better way to get to know someone than by interacting!” I charged her, making her squeal and duck. I vaulted over the railing and landed neatly on the ground three stories down. I looked up and found my students glancing over the railing. I gestured them down.

Tenten sputtered. “S-sensei! I’m not jumping off a balcony!”

“Yosh!” Lee threw himself over the railing with abandon, landing gracelessly and tumbling a little to break his fall. He stood up, a little shaken, but completely alright. He grinned expectantly up at me.

I slapped him on the back and looked up at the other two. “Come on! No fear!”

“Sensei, you’re ridiculous!” Tenten yelled. “You’re going to get us ki-“

Neji jumped the railing. He stuck his landing with the grace of a cat. He did not look at me or Lee for approval. He did not even look up for Tenten. Tenten shrunk down and I could see her muttering to herself. She was shaking her head with a sigh when she stepped onto the railing. She closed her eyes and jumped. She landed on her feet, staggering forward and nearly falling on her face. Lee caught her and pushed her back onto her feet. She awkwardly thanked him, crossing her arms. She was shaking.

I slapped her enthusiastically on the back. “Atta girl! That’s the spirit! Now come on! You’re going to love our training grounds!”

“Our?”

“Our! I’ve reserved it permanently, so it’ll be like a second home! Come on! I’ll show you!” I grabbed her hand and made a fast beeline towards the training grounds, dragging my complaining little flower behind me the whole way. Lee struggled to keep up, but reveled in the challenge. I was unsure of where Neji was, but I trusted that he was following me as well.

We arrived at the gates of our training grounds and my team was breathless. While they caught their wind, I fished the three keys I had made out of my vest pocket. I presented each of my students with one, stating, “These are the keys to this training area and you three are the only ones- besides me, of course- that have them. Don’t lose them! They’ll allow you a place to train whenever you please, even when I’m away on missions!”

My team had various levels of respect for their new possessions. Lee looked as if he had received the key to heaven, while Tenten had taken a glance around me and believed it to be the key to target practice. Neji had put the key in his pocket without a second glance.

Taking the initiative, I unlocked the gate and pushed it open. Tenten rushed around me, looking around curiously and excitedly at the expansive training field. I saw her finger her kunai holster eagerly, practically licking her lips. Lee took a more reverent approach, looking around in awe as if he had stepped into a church. Surely, he had never seen such a place, as I had easily outdone the Academy’s taijutsu training facilities by far. He was not far behind Tenten in his enthusiasm, though. A quick glance at Neji showed he was simply not impressed.

But, my other students were ready to go and I had to cater to that youthful vigor. I jogged out into the training field and took up a quick stance. “Alright, team! Before we do anything, I wanna see what you’ve got! I want you to come at me like the enemy! I want you to give it your all!”

Tenten and Lee exchanged unsure glances. Neji cocked an eyebrow. I teasingly beckoned them forward. “Come on, guys! I want to see what I’m working with!”

The three stood there for a moment before Tenten carefully drew back to a comfortable distance and unhooked her kunai pouch. Her face grew hard and her eyes dared me to come at her. I grinned.

_“Hah!”_ Emboldened, Lee rushed me in an obvious charge. I turned his fist away easily and knocked him off his feet. Tenten took the opening to throw three kunai with deadly precision. I drew my own and deflected them, just as Tenten came rushing in to try to nail me. I sent my kunai hurtling towards her, catching her pink shirt and tearing it at the shoulder. It scared her just enough to cause her to change her path. She skidded to a halt at a further distance, drawing more kunai and awaiting another chance. I followed her lead and took another knife in my hand, glancing over. Neji had not moved. He was just watching.

Lee surged at me again and I parried several decent strikes to my face and body. I opened my fist and hit him in the chest, tossing him away. I heard five shuriken and I blocked each of them, looking expectantly from their direction. However, I felt Tenten’s presence behind me and turned just in time to catch her wrist and turn away the kunai aimed at my back. I flipped her, throwing her bodily over to where Lee was struggling to get up.

Then, there was a cold rush like a ghost had passed by me. I turned sharply, just in time to see the white eyes of a demon and the mere blur of a hand. It was like being electrocuted. I felt the chakra surge my system and a warm sensation in my throat. I hit the ground hard and my head slammed into the grass. I thought I heard my name, but white noise was filling my ears. Through blurry eyes, I could see Neji’s face.

He almost looked disappointed.


	3. Concerns

I woke up later to find myself in a bitterly familiar place. The white walls and creamy curtains and the overwhelming scent of sterilizer made me very aware that I was in the hospital. How I had gotten there, who had taken me and what had become of my poor little students was beyond me.

I sat up, stiff and sore. I popped my back with a grunt, rubbing some muscles loose. I did not feel as if I had been injured severely. In fact, I felt as if a little stretch and some water would do me more good than anything, but I had to wonder: what the hell had happened?

I thought back to the last thing I could remember and it came back very distinct- even in the fuzziness before a black out. It was Neji’s face, right after he had struck a paralyzing blow.

I felt something cold and hard drop in my stomach. A strike like that could have had a single intent. It was frightening to know that a young boy could possess that kind of power, but it was even more frightening that he would use it so easily. Perhaps… Kakashi had not been exaggerating. Perhaps those children were not victims of suicide, rather than… just victims.

Yet the longer I thought of that face- that face that looked down on me having struck with killing intent- I began to question myself even more. I could not place the exact emotion I had seen. Sadness… hopelessness… loss…? I was not sure, but I was sure that it was not the emotions of a killer. In fact, it was the only sign of humanity I had seen in him and it had stuck so vividly in my mind, I was sure it was an omen of some sort. It had to be. One did not get lingering feelings like this by chance.

There was a knock on the door. I glanced over and immediately spotted the cheerful masked face of my rival. “Good morning, Gai. Feeling better?”

I cocked an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, I’m alright.”

“Oh good. You must be starving. Here!” Kakashi dropped a basket in my lap. “Have a muffin!”

I glanced between the overflowing muffin basket and my rival several times before I asked, “Why?”

“Oh, no reason,” Kakashi sighed, sitting down in a chair. “I just thought it would make you feel better after having your ass handed to you by a twelve-year-old.”

I scowled, realizing that they were sarcasm muffins. “Ha ha, Kakashi. Very funny.”

Kakashi laughed, a soft little bark in his chest. “Y’know, Gai, I was kidding when I told you all those stories about that kid. I thought it was all Academy rumors, but I’ll be damned now that all of it’s actually true!”

“Shut up, Kakashi. It was an accident.”

Kakashi nodded in sympathy. “Oh, of course, Gai. I mean sometimes I try and gently stop someone’s heart, too. Never really works out for me, but hey. Let the kid try.”

“Kakashi, quit it. He didn’t mean it.”

Kakashi raised a sarcastic eyebrow, his grin disappearing underneath his mask. “Obviously.”

“Look, Kakashi, I’m having a rough day, alright? If you’re here to make it worse, I’m going to punch you in the face.”

Kakashi was quiet for a moment. He tilted his head. “Is there something else? Y’know, obviously besides the fact that you were gentle-fisted into the hospital?”

Of course there was more to the story, the hip bastard. Kakashi could always tell and it pissed me off. I scowled. “Are you sincerely asking or are you looking for ammo?”

“Bit of both.”

I glared.

Kakashi raised his hands disarmingly. “I’m just kidding. Sincerely asking, Gai.”

My frown deepened and I looked away, murmuring, “It’s this kid.”

“I told you.”

“It’s not that, Kakashi. Yeah, the kid scares the living daylights out of me- Thanks for that. - but…” I paused, trying to figure out how I could possibly explain my feelings. I was not even sure what I was feeling. How could I explain something I did not even know? I ventured out carefully, saying, “It’s kind of like… an urge.”

Kakashi leaned back, giving me an odd, apprehensive look. “What kind of ‘urge’?”

“Well, I didn’t feel it at first, but right before I blacked out, I saw him looking at me. I’m not sure, but I think he looked… disappointed.”

“That he missed.”

“No, Kakashi. More like he was disappointed. In… me. Like he expected more!”

Kakashi looked at me like he was just not following. “So… you think you failed him?”

“Kakashi, he put me in the hospital. It’s pretty much obvious I failed him, but… well, it’s almost like… like…” The words just would not come to me. I looked away again, closing my eyes and picturing my last memory one more time. That look in those eyes, that expression. That sudden, brief flash of vulnerability. I opened my eyes and turned back to Kakashi. “I want to protect him.”

Kakashi visibly pulled back. “Protect him? From what?”

“I don’t know! I want to take care of him!” I pause, then asked quickly. “Is that weird?!”

“Considering he just put you in the hospital? Yes.”

I huffed indignantly. “He’s a Hyuuga!”

“He’s twelve.”

The disgusting pity in Kakashi’s voice made my blood boil. I scowled. “You just don’t get it, Kakashi! You didn’t see it! There’s something wrong. I just know it.”

“Ooh! There’s something rotten in the state of Konoha!” Kakashi teased, wiggling his fingers at me. He stared at me for awhile, before his face softened into an expression of concern. “Gai, you barely know this kid.”

“I know, I know. It… I just can’t get over it.”

“You just woke up.”

“I know…”

Kakashi frowned. “You want my advice, Gai?”

I sighed, turning back to my rival. “God, I’d be grateful. I don’t know what I’m doing. This kid hates me!”

Kakashi’s face was dead serious as his good eye narrowed in warning. “Don’t get too involved with this kid, Gai. Relations with the Hyuuga are treacherous waters to be threading. You know as well as anyone that they may be part of Konoha, but their system works far above ours. If you get wound up in this kid, you’re going to find yourself dragged into political warfare and the Hyuuga are notorious for fighting dirty.”

I wanted to believe more than anything that Kakashi was trying to scare me again, but somehow I knew what he said was true and that bothered me more than any horror stories. I nodded solemnly. “I’ll try, but I-“

_**BANG!**_

_“Gai!”_

I coughed hard, waving the smoke out of the air. “Wha-?! Ningame?! What- what _happened_ to you?!”

My beloved summon looked awful. He was covered in soot and paint and several sharp weapons were embedded in his shell. His scaly skin had bruises and the forehead protector around his neck was torn and lopsided and above all, he looked pissed.

“Your little brats are what happened to me!” he roared, stumping towards me. “What the hell is your problem, summoning me to watch those little demons?”

“Summon-? Wat-? I didn’t-!”

“Uh…” Kakashi rolled his eyes and reached back to scratch his neck. “Well… I _may_ have gotten control of your affairs while you were unconscious and _may_ have used the emergency summoning scroll you gave me to summon Ningame to watch your kids.”

“Watch them? Why? I haven’t even been out for a day!”

“Well… I also _may_ have okayed it with the medical staff to put you into a medically induced coma to speed up the healing process-“

_“You what?!”_

“Now, now, Gai. Everything was under control! Or… it should have been. I didn’t leave Ningame all by himself. I left a couple of my ninken with him! Hold on,” Kakashi slit his finger on a shuriken, made a fast set of hand signs and place his hand on the ground. Instantly there was a white puff of smoke and three dogs were sitting in the middle of my hospital room. They looked around expectantly, saw Ningame and immediately looked extremely guilty. They tucked their tails between their legs and made to go behind Kakashi, only to quail under his gaze, too.

“Bisuke. Akino. Guruko.” Kakashi’s voice was stern. “What happened?”

Akino and Guruko shifted, pushing Bisuke up as an elected scapegoat. The tan colored dog seemed to swallow nervously. “Uh… we tried, really! They were too much for us!”

“Like hell they were!” Ningame snapped viciously. “You three were bought out with cookies and belly rubs!”

“That Lee kid was good at it!” Guruko barked back, only to catch his master’s bitter gaze. “It’s not my fault! He scratched my ears and next thing I know I’m on my back and he got that spot and my leg went all crazy and-” Realizing his explanation was getting him nowhere, Guruko dropped his head. “Sorry, boss. I don’t know what happened.”

Ningame glared daggers at them. “I’ll tell you what happened! While you three were off chasing a ball that didn’t even exist, I was being tortured and maimed by those evil little monsters!”

I could not even believe three children could have done all this to my brave summon. “Oh come now, Ningame. It couldn’t have been that bad! They’re just kids.”

“That bad?! Gai, those aren’t kids. They’re demons! They attacked me with sharp objects, verbally abused me, climbed all over me and they flipped me over and spun me around!”

I frowned. “Well, did you lay down the law?”

“Gai, I’m a fucking tortoise! What the hell am I supposed to do? Every time I tried to punish them, they walked out of my range! And stood there! Mocking me!”

As if to make things worse, Kakashi leaned over and pulled a sticky note off Ningame’s shell. “I’m lazy…”

Ningame stared at him, then whirled back around to glare at me. “Y’see that? _Y’see that?_ Now everyone thinks I’m lazy!”

I rubbed my neck awkwardly. “Well… uh… was it any one in particular?”

“No! The twits ganged up on me! They flipped me over! I was stuck there for twenty minutes!” Ningame puffed himself up in fury. “Gai, I don’t want to be summoned back here to watch your nasty children again until you teach them some respect! In fact, don’t summon me to watch them ever! I hate your kids!”

Akino suddenly looked around at everyone with an incredulous look in his eyes. “Wait, the ball didn’t exist?”

Kakashi shushed him.

Ningame huffed angrily. “You better be back soon, Gai, because I refuse to watch your demon spawn anymore! I’ve got paint in places I can’t even reach!”

“Well, that’s not saying much…”

Ningame shot a vicious glare at Bisuke, who shrunk back.

“I’ll be back tomorrow, Ningame, and I’ll address it,” I assured my precious, abused summon. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“You better be,” With that said, Ningame transported himself out in a cloud of white smoke. I stared at where he had stood for a while, then turned to Kakashi.

He shrugged with a sheepish grin. “Hey, at least they’re working together, right? That’s good.”

I shrugged, too. “Yeah… that’s promising. Hey Kakashi? How long was I out exactly?”

Suddenly Kakashi looked as guilty as his ninken. “Uh… funny story…”


	4. Fed Up! Student No More!

The next day- despite nurses and doctors trying to advise me otherwise- I returned to training as I had promised. I expected to come back to impatient, yet eager students ready to pick up where we left off. Yet when I arrived, the tension between them could have been cut with a knife. Even Lee and Tenten- who I had thought would be friends by now- could not stand each other.

I could not fathom what could have possibly happened in the time I was gone, especially since my unfortunate summon made it so clear they had been working together not one day before. I could not get them to say more than two words to each other and when I could, it quickly became an argument which would escalate immediately into physical fighting. I found myself spending more time pulling them apart than I did teaching them.

It was when training broke out into a three-way free-for-all that I could not take it anymore. I forcefully sat all three of them down with solid strikes and the outburst had caught them just enough off-guard to make them stay. I glared sternly down at them, hands firmly on my hips. “Alright, I don’t know what’s going on, but this ends now! What is the matter with you? You’re teammates! I expect you to start acting like it!”

“No!” Tenten shouted angrily. “I can’t work with Mr. High-‘n-Mighty over here and this loser, both of which think they’re more capable than I am!”

“I am trying to help you!” Lee snapped. “At least I am trying to be friends, unlike you! Both of you are only interested in yourselves!”

“Help? From _you?_ That’s funny! I don’t need some loser’s help!”

“You do not need anybody, do you?!”

_“Enough!”_

My students fell quiet. I looked around at them without a word. I could see the bitterness in their eyes, but more so, I could see that ever-present desire to be great. It hurt my heart more than it should have. That desire was so important, yet it was tearing them apart. If I could just get them to see that they would be great if they only-

I hardened my face. “Get up.”

They all just sat there as if they had not understood me.

_“Get up!”_

Carefully, they got to their feet. I did not speak to them, just started walking. I felt them hesitate, but one by one, they trailed after me. I lead them out of our training field and headed towards the third. The journey was so full of tension, it was suffocating. The guilt my students were feeling was almost manifesting itself as a real force, pressing down on us as we walked. When I deviated from our path, my students followed behind at an apprehensive distance. The air of guilt turned to a nervous reverence as the trees began to thin out and we reached a clearing. In the middle stood a single slab of marble.

I stepped up to the stone, turning when my students did not follow me. I gestured them in and slowly, they wandered inside. I waited a moment, letting them take in their surroundings before I asked, “Who knows where we are?”

For a moment, none of them answered. Then, hesitantly, Tenten whispered, “A memorial?”

I nodded. “For who?”

Tenten looked around, glancing at the stone. Her eyes flickered over the names carved into the surface. She looked like she was about to say something, but shook her head and shrugged.

“This stone shows the names of every shinobi that has been killed in the line of duty. As you can see, there are many… many names.” I glanced around my team, who had fallen into a dead silence. “Why do you think I brought you here?”

It was a long time before Lee answered: “You… do not want us to end up here?”

His words struck my heart like an arrow, though that was precisely the answer I wanted. I turned back towards the stone, picking out the names- friends, family, comrades- that I had been looking at for years and years. “Your greatest defense against death on the field are your allies. Who you trust and who trusts you. You three… will be each others’ most precious and irreplaceable allies. You will go on more missions and learn more about each other than you will with anyone else. Eventually, you will become each others’ strengths and flaws and your teamwork will become invaluable to yourselves and your village.”

I glanced at them out of the corner of my eye. They were all staring at the memorial. “We do not put you on teams because it is convenient. You are not on this team until you pass on to chunin or jounin or however far you go. You are on this team for life.” I turned to face them fully. “And how long that will be depends on how much you learn to care about each other.”

That seemed to drive home the point. A moment of silence passed as the words sank in. Then- slowly- Tenten and Lee’s eyes met and they quietly exchanged apologies. Their eyes moved over. I followed them and found Neji still staring at the memorial in front of him. His eyes were shifting slowly over the stone face, reading each of the engraved names one by one. Then, his mouth moved and I believed for a split second he was going to say something. Instead, his head twisted and he spit viciously on the final names.

It felt like a slap in the face. I heard Tenten and Lee gasp as Neji turned sharply on his heel and left without a single word. I did not follow him. I could not follow him. My entire body had gone numb. I was… horrified. How…? How had…? How _dare…!_

I felt someone tugging at my sleeve. “G… Gai-sensei?”

I carefully freed my arm from Lee’s nervous hand, but my eyes never left the spot where Neji’s back had disappeared into the forest. I absently pushed him away, silently gesturing for both him and Tenten to stay behind. I went after Neji. When I saw him again, I felt righteous anger start in my chest, building up in my throat the closer I got. By the time I reached him I was furious, seizing his shoulder and spinning him around. “What is wrong with you?!”

Neji struck my hand away with such force, it went numb. “Shut up.”

Such insolence! I grabbed his arm, yanking him back. “No! You will explain your actions!”

Neji twisted in my grasp. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

“I’m your teacher!”

“Like hell you are.”

I struck Neji with such force it made him stagger. The sound of the impact echoed among the trees. There was a moment of dead silence, in which I thought I had seriously hurt him. Then, he turned his head back and those deathly white eyes met mine.

“What makes those men heroes?” His voice was so calm and quiet it made my skin crawl. “What makes them so worth remembering?”

My anger vanished under a sudden, uneasy fear. I set a strong face, even as those blank eyes burned into me. “They died for their village-“

“-In the turmoil of war. How many of them were sent to their deaths to prevent it? How many died in silence and dishonor to protect the elite few, sensei?”

“Neji, that-” It all came crashing down with a single, horrible realization. The Hyuuga Affair… Hizashi’s son…

Neji saw the recognition in my eyes, for those blank eyes narrowed viciously. “If my father wasn’t a hero, no one was. He died so that this village could skirt war, so that the Hyuuga clan would still have a leader in the main branch. Where were his friends, his allies? Where was his family when he was sentenced to death? They were _planning it._ Murdered him in secret to save face in the light of treachery. How does that fit into your precious teamwork speech, sensei?”

“N-Neji…”

“Precisely,” Neji yanked his arm free from my nerveless hand. Those eyes were burning. “There is no ‘team’. There is the village and then there are pawns; those destined to die in glory and those that will be sacrificed in silence. For a greater cause.”

I could only watch in horrified silence as Neji turned around and walked away, without another word. What else was there to say? What could I say? What could I do? How could I ever explain… justify… tell him that…

From that day on, relations between Neji and I were tense. Neji excelled without my help, mastering in minutes what I would spend days trying to teach Tenten or Lee. I pitted him against his teammates often, yet he never lost. He was cruel and efficient, but they were not afraid of him… like I was. I did not fight him for anything and left him to do as he pleased, so much that if he came to training at all, it was a miracle.

Eventually, I began to assume this was how it would be. Though that one look of humanity- that one vulnerable moment- was burned into my mind and onto my heart, Neji simply did not need me. Not to teach him, not to guide him, not to protect him… not anything. It was just for the best.

That was what I was thinking after training one day, when Neji cornered me between sparring dummies. There was sweat on his skin and though he looked tired, he was determined. “Sensei.”

This was the first time that Neji had actually gone out of his way to speak to me. I felt my nerves tighten apprehensively. “Yes?”

“I will not come to training anymore.”

The statement was plain and straightforward, as if there would be no debate. “What? Why?”

Neji scowled. “It’s obvious you have nothing to offer me, sensei. I am not going to waste my time.”

“Neji, that’s not true-“

“No? Then tell me, sensei: why have you blatantly refused to teach me? It seems you’re eager to find and improve upon those other two idiots’ flaws.”

I stuttered. “W-well, I… I haven’t noticed-“

“No? So you haven’t noticed I’m weak in straight taijutsu? You’ve simply haven’t caught how horridly subpar my defense is? You assume I keep my feet firmly on the ground because I enjoy it rather than because I have four ridiculously obvious stances?” Those eyes narrowed. “Do not try and deceive me, Gai. I am no fool. You’ve purposefully overlooked everything. Am I wrong?”

“Neji-“

_“Am I?”_ Neji snapped suddenly. He paused for a moment, just glaring at me. Then, he went on in a cruel whisper. “I will not play enemy to my weaker teammates. I will not spend my time fighting them to make them stronger. I am not going to be the one you pit them against to test your pathetic teachings.”

“Neji, that’s not what I’m doing. I am trying to teach you.”

“Exactly what are you trying to teach me? I have been in your instruction for well over two months and have learned nothing. Lee has learned something and he’s an absolute imbecile.”

My heart jumped when he mentioned Lee.

He frowned deeply. “He’s the reason, isn’t he? You are scared that if I get any stronger, your precious pet will never catch up.”

“Neji! That’s not it!”

“Than what is it, sensei? Why won’t you teach me?”

“Neji, I… Neji, you’re just so clever-“

_“I don’t need you to tell me I’m smart!”_

The explosive outburst made me jump. Neji suddenly advanced on me, his voice like the spark of a fuse. “My intelligence is not an excuse. Do you honestly think I need _you_ to tell me how talented I am? How clever I am? I _know_ that. That’s what I’ve been told my whole life. It’s _all_ I’ve been told. It has _always_ been this way.”

The dead silence rolled over us like heavy smoke. Those cold eyes narrowed again and Nej drew back. The emotions on his face vanished. “And it will always be this way. If I am to teach myself, than so be it. I don’t need you or this ‘team’.”

I was struck dumb. I could not speak, could not move, even as he stood in front of me in silence. When I did not say anything, he just turned around… and walked away. I could not make myself go after him. What he had said was true. Everything was true. He had seen… he had predicted… and everyone had done it…

Then- as I saw Neji’s back reach the gates- I had the sudden, stabbing realization that this would be the last time. My heart stopped and I panicked. I ran, grabbing him before he could leave and turning him back around. I clamped my hands on his shoulders desperately, as if afraid he would bolt. _“Neji!”_

Yet he did not shove me away. He did not even speak. He just looked at me, expectantly.

I felt my knees get weak and I fell to his level. “Neji, I don’t know how to teach you. I know what you need and I know I can help you, but… I don’t even know how to interact with you. You are so different from me…”

Neji remained silent. He just looked down at me, with those cold, emotionless eyes. I felt so helpless. How stupid I must have looked. I felt the tears well up. “I’ve made a tragic mistake, Neji, one you’ve obviously seen before. I want to help you, I… I want to be there, believe me! I have failed you as your teacher and I’m sorry!”

If my words had any affect, he did not show it. I could see myself in those white eyes; see just how pathetic I looked. I could not fathom what he saw in me, whether what I said meant anything to him. I could have died looking at what I had been reduced to…

I looked away.

There was a long and oppressive silence. I let my hands slide from Nej’s arms, releasing him, knowing that what I had said meant nothing. Yet, I could feel those eyes and I felt as if I were receiving my final judgement. The pressure was real, pressing down on my lungs and my heart, making my head swim and my chest tight-

“Your gilded words are pretty, Gai.”

I dared to look up into the face of my assessor. Those white eyes were fathomless, as if they were looking at more than my physical being. “This world values action. Your words mean nothing.”

“Then let me act!” The words burst out of my mouth before I could think. I set my jaw. “I will make this up to you. I will learn to teach you and I will succeed or I will never teach again! That’s a promise!”

Neji stared at me for a long time, as if he were weaving the promise into a prophecy. Then he stated quietly, “You will regret hasty promises one day.”

With that, Neji turned around and left.


	5. Promises! Gai Gets Serious!

I do not break promises.

When Neji arrived at training the next day, I knew he planned to hold me accountable for my words and I did my best to do the same. I made a valiant effort to see flaws where I saw perfection and- slowly but surely- I began to notice the flaws that Neji had spoken about. I tried my best to correct them, while still remaining hesitant to push my instruction- for risk of further impeding our budding relationship. Yet I was surprised when Neji did not spurn my advances, my suggestions, my tips or even my requests for one-on-one instruction. Eventually, I found myself openly criticizing what had turned out to be an extremely flawed fighting style with no bad consequences. Whether it was what he knew about me or what I now knew about him, I began to feel the slightest bit of connection and for that I was grateful.

Yet he still skipped training.

Often.

It was after the fifth or sixth time that I decided enough was enough. If I was going to get serious, so was he. I told Tenten and Lee to stay behind and practice on their own, assuring them confidently that sensei would be right back with their teammate. With that, I went in search of my truant student. After checking the obvious spots- the library, several cafes, the like- I checked his house. The Hokage had given me his address for emergencies (which this clearly qualified as) and the Hyuuga clan was aware enough of my position that they did not kill me as soon as I stepped in the doorway. They just watched me intently from every corner as I marched over to Neji’s door. I knocked firmly. “Neji! Get out here!”

There was nothing but silence.

I scowled. “I know you’re in there!”

The door opened and Neji stepped into the doorway, looking a little surprised, but unconcerned. “Yes?”

‘Yes’ he said. “Neji, where are you supposed to be right now?”

“Same place you should be.”

“Don’t get smart. Get your things. You’re going to training.”

“No.”

I frowned firmly. “You’re required to be there. Get your things.”

Neji crossed his arms. “No.”

I had never been so blatantly disregarded in my life. It made my blood boil. It made my heart race. I glared. “It isn’t a suggestion.”

Neji cocked an eyebrow at me. I lunged for him, missing by a mere centimeter as he skittered out of my reach. I went after him, snatching at thin air as he twisted away from my hands. I tried to corner him, but he slipped just out of my fingers and dodged under my arms, zipping out the door. I hurtled after him, refusing to let him out of my sights. I knew I was faster than him, that I could outrun him if I had to. Neji must have known, as well, because his path became twisted and jerky. That was when I realized that he could turn faster than I could and that flat out chasing him would get me nowhere. If I wanted to catch him, I would have to anticipate his every move.

I managed to pin him down in a straight stretch of hallway, too narrow to dart around in. I sprinted to catch him in a mere fifteen feet, but Neji had other ideas. He shot the railing and swung himself up onto the roof. I heard his footsteps running in the opposite direction and I threw myself back. I charged forward, overtaking the pitter of his feet and jumping the railing, vaulting onto the roof in front of him. He turned on his heel, diving under my hands and across the roof. I could hear the shocked murmurs of the Hyuuga below me as they heard my feet pounding over their heads. I could hear the beginnings of gossip and became even more intent on capturing my student.

Unfortunately, Neji knew every exit in the Hyuuga manor and escaped out into Konoha, hoping to lose me in the morning crowds. I ground my teeth, changing tactics. I climbed into a tree and searched him out, spotting and following him with my eyes. If he wanted this to be serious, fine. I could do serious. I reached into my weapons pouch, feeling around until I came up with a pair of rarely used handcuffs. I watched as he headed down a familiar road and I saw the spot where I could trap him.

Flipping the cuffs in my hand, I sprung into action. I cut into a dead sprint to catch up, coming up fast behind him and making the final mad dash to grab his shirt-

He twisted away, turning exactly where I wanted him to and skidding to a sudden halt in front of a dead end. Triumphantly, I made a sliding turn and took a powerful leap to tackle my slippery student to the ground. I grabbed hold of his arms before he could squirm out from under me, snapping the handcuffs across his wrists. I grabbed hold of the chain and pulled him up, panting, “Gotcha.”

Neji glared at me. I could see a thin scratch dripping blood down his temple. Those eyes were burning with indignant fury and I was secretly thankful his hands were incapacitated.

Asserting my authority, I frowned and snapped, “Now you’re going to training!”

Neji clenched his teeth and snarled, “No.”

What happened next, I could hardly see coming. Neji slammed his foot into my shin, snapping his elbow up to meet my face. I saw white and lost my grip on his handcuffs. Blinded, I felt Neji’s foot slam into my face and stars exploded in front of my eyes. I fell backwards, my hands instinctively coming up to my throbbing nose. When it all came together, it was too late. My hands jerked away from my face, just in time to see Neji pull his arms under his legs and dash past me, disappearing around the corner.

I cursed, shaking the stars from my vision. I could feel blood dripping down my lip, but I did not care. This was personal now. He would be at training today if it killed either of us. I stood up and wiped the blood from my face. Neji would be aiming to remove those handcuffs and that would require time. I had that time- that time where he would be most hindered- to find and capture him.

I darted out of the alleyway, searching for evidence. I found the tiny drops of blood from Neji’s injury, few and far between, but enough to direct me. I followed them quietly to an open industrial storage shed, where I could barely hear panting and the scratch of metal on metal. I stepped inside, blocking the only exit. My eyes slid around meticulously, but I could not see him. I could not sense his chakra (though I rarely could), but I knew he was there. I had heard him. He may have quieted his breathing and may have become completely motionless, but he could only keep it up so long. His muscles would be right with excitement. He was out of breath. he could not hold out forever. I had him trapped.

I waited impatiently, itching to find him. He held out longer than I expected. I watched the shadows in the shed become short as the sun began to fully rise. I grew frustrated, but I knew that this was the best chance I had. There was one exit and little room to maneuver in. If I could wait him out, I could get him. I shifted my stance, sliding my eyes over the many nooks and crannies, scanning for any sort of movement-

Then I heard the tiny sound of metal on metal, the telltale click of a freed lock.

Neji bolted out from behind several large wooden pallets, charging straight for me and ducking to get under my feet. I crouched to grab him, but he jumped at the last second. He used my shoulders as a springboard, forcing me down and knocking me off balance. I quickly righted myself, giving chase. He was good, I would give him that, but those handcuffs were still slung around his wrist. He would have a hell of a time trying to hide, something I would have to count on as he made a twist towards the main street of Konoha. I gritted my teeth. I could not let him make it into the midday rush! I lunged at the last possible moment, seizing the back of his shirt and bringing him down with an explosion of white smoke.

Then I was holding nothing.

_“DAMN IT!”_

I got several surprised and offended stares, but I snapped back around for the shed. I arrived and immediately saw the metal handcuffs lying in the dirt.

_“Agh!”_

It was like he was rubbing it in! How could I have been so stupid? Clones were staple Academy fare! I should have known! I did not have time to beat myself up though. While it was impressive that Neji could hide his chakra signature at his age, even he could not hide it right after using a technique. I would have at least three minutes, more if he could not concentrate.

I took a deep breath, calming myself and locating the unique signature. Neji’s efficiency made the trail weak, but it obviously backtracked from where I had chased him. I followed it, feeling it growing stronger and stronger until suddenly it disappeared completely. I looked up and into a pair of white eyes.

“There you are.”

Neji sprung out of the tree like a squirrel, landing on the edge of the fence and flipping over it. I was after him immediately and stayed close on his heels. Even if I could not catch him, I could outlast him. All I had to do was exhaust him and I would win. I lost him a few times and it took precious time to track him down again, but every time I spotted him again, he looked more and more tired. My plan was working, even as Neji kept running. I was getting tired as well and had not eaten since breakfast, but neither had he. Hunger was no big deal for me and my second wind would come stronger than my first, but Neji was twelve. I had to count on lack of experience to crush Neji’s will.

It was evening by the time I realized Neji was twice as stubborn as his stomach. Eventually, Neji skidded to a halt, jumped up on the edge of a fire escape and turned on me. “Sensei!”

I stopped below him, glaring up at him. He was drenched in sweat and looked like he was on his last breath. “What?”

“There is no point to this anymore. Neither of us are giving in.”

“You will!”

“Why do you insist on doing this? It’s ridiculous. Why don’t you call it a truce and go home!”

“No! You’re going to training!” I jumped for him, but he skittered out of my reach and leapt off the fire escape, darting back down the street.

I kept after him. I do not know how many more streets I chased him down, how many twists and turns I took, how many skids and stops and slides I made before I realized the sun was setting and the fiery lights of Konoha were setting up for the night. I had to end this fast, before the shadows became abundant and the darkness gave refuge to my exhausted student.

Finally, I herded him into a dead end- that same dead end as before- and cornered him. As he came to a stop, I made a desperate final lunge and seized his arm much harder than I meant to, considering that he did not pull away or even flinch when it happened. I stood there in silence for a moment, my chest heaving. Then, I glanced between my hand and my tired student.

Neji frowned, his narrow chest heaving. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“You got me. Now what?”

I did not answer immediately. I caught my breath, trying to remember why I was after him. I gritted my teeth, snapping, “Now you’re going to training!”

“It’s eight in the evening, sensei. There is no training. It’s been over for nearly five hours. You’ve been at this all day.”

I stood there panting, letting the words sink in.

“Agh…!” I rolled my eyes with a harsh sigh and let him go. I flopped down on the ground and put my back against the wall. I had lost even in my victory. I sat there panting for a long time, before I heard Neji sit down beside me. He did not say anything for a while and I did not say anything either. There was not much to say. All there was to do was catch our breath, though I took small comfort in knowing that I was in much better condition than he was.

“Your methods are new to me.”

I opened one eye to glance at Neji. This was one of the first times he had deliberately broken silence. “Huh?”

“I said your methods are new to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never been attacked by a teacher before.”

I scoffed lightly. The idea sounded ridiculous. “It’s effective.”

“It’s relative.”

“Hm…” My jokes never passed. I paused for a moment before commenting again, “It’s been a while since I’ve tracked someone down that passionately.”

“I wouldn’t call it ‘tracking’ rather than ‘hunting’. Any enemy would have turned and killed you.”

“Nonsense.”

“All sense. That’s the difference.”

“What difference?”

“Tracking implies skill and silence. What you were doing was borderline barbaric.” Neji gave me a haughty stare out of the corner of those eyes. “What exactly did you expect to accomplish?”

“I expected to get you to training.”

“How did you associate chasing me to getting me to training?”

“Spur of the moment?”

Neji wrinkled his nose distastefully as if the words disgusted him. “How have you survived?”

“It’s those moments that’ll save your life, Neji.”

“Tch. I don’t work off heuristics.”

Rather than find out what a ‘heuristic’ was, I just sighed and popped my back with a deep stretch. I shook my arms a little and flexed my legs. “Whatever, Neji. It’s been a long day. Will you just come to training tomorrow?”

Neji stared at me, unamused. Then, he rolled those white eyes, huffing, “Fine. I suppose you’ve earned it.”

“And the next day?”

“Don’t push it.”

“Neji.”

Those eyes rolled again.

I frowned at him, intent on getting the appropriate answer.

He stared at me for a long time, looking exhausted and annoyed with me, though I could not tell which was stronger. Finally, he stated sharply, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“Good enough.” I got up with a grunt, brushing off my legs. I looked up at the sky, estimating the time. “Well, come on, Neji. I need to get something in you and get you home before someone notices you’re missing.”

“It’s eight-thirty. I’m hardly missing.”

“Hush. You like ramen, right?”


	6. Fate and Nirvana

Neji was good on his word. He did return to training the next day, the day following and the day following that. I noticed the change immediately. Somehow, the experience of running each other all over the village had improved our relationship dramatically. By no means was he friendly or even civil towards me, but he certainly did not treat me with his previous contempt or disdain. I grew confident that perhaps I could keep my promise as I began to notice improvement where I had once seen perfection.

Still though, after two weeks, I did not find myself feeling the same affection towards him as I did with Lee or Tenten. I had bonded with them over their taijutsu, over their dreams. While I was familiar and versed with the Gentle Fist, I still could not say for certain what Neji’s dreams, hopes or aspirations were and because of that, I felt like I just could not connect.

Yet not a day after the two week mark, I received my chance in a strange way.

Through my heightened sense of Neji’s habits, I began to notice that he was not leaving with Tenten, me or even Lee. Tenten was often the first one to call it quits and her timing was always impeccable, but Lee’s enthusiasm for going beyond his limits was infectious and I could not help but indulge in his youthful vigor. It was not until after the second week that I noticed Tenten left the training grounds alone. My youth usually left me sooner than it left Lee and I was forced to quit for the day long before he did, so eventually I asked him if Neji left during his time there. Lee had told me he had never seen him. Of course, Neji was so quiet I often was unaware of where he was and sometimes forgot he was there at all, so this did not surprise me.

It was a hot, sticky day when I found out where he went. Tenten had called it quits early and managed to convince Lee to quit with her. Realizing the threat of heat stress on my young students, I conceded to her point and offered to treat them to ice cream. Lee and Tenten were thrilled, but Neji naturally and predictably declined. As I was lead off by his teammates, I warned him absently to take it easy and he simply waved it off as usual. I returned later with a cherry popsicle for my stoic student, hoping he had heeded my warning. I searched for him every where and finally found him in a tree, reading.

“Neji?” I called out. “What are you doing up there?”

Neji glanced over the top of his book like I had interrupted the best part. “What’s it look like, sensei?”

I climbed up next to him and sat down on a nearby branch. I offered him the popsicle. “I brought you something!”

He glanced at it through the corner of those eyes, but looked away without taking it. “I don’t eat popsicles.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Huh? Why’s that?”

“They’re a mess.”

“Oh come on. Your youth will be messy! That’s one of it’s perks!”

“Perks,” Neji repeated sarcastically, as if he were insulted by my simplicity.

“Come on. I brought it for you.”

Those white eyes slid over to me in obvious annoyance. “I will refuse until that thing melts in your hand, sensei.”

“If you do, I’ll touch you with the hand it melted in.”

Neji stared. He took the popsicle from me. “Well-played.”

I chuckled. Pleased, I gave Neji time to start on the frozen treat before asking, “So, what are you reading?”

“Hm? Nh.” Neji tilted his book so I could read the title.

I cocked my head and my eyebrows rose. I recognized the title. I had read it before- on a dare- but it had turned into one of the few books I not only kept, but still read. Based on the condition of Neji’s copy, he agreed. “Are you rereading it?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Just curious as to what you got from it.”

Neji shrugged. “Not much. More questions than anything.”

“Oh?”

“Mm.” Neji twisted the popsicle lightly in his mouth. I thought for a moment he would not continue, but he pulled it out again and commented, “At the beginning, I believed that I would actually find answers rather than non-answers upon finishing it.”

“Answers to what?”

“Do you care?”

“Of course I do!”

Neji frowned, turning his attention back to the cherry popsicle in his hand. It was a while before he spoke again. “Before I began this book, I was searching for the same thing that the main character was. I was searching from my own escape from Self, my inner peace. I thought my question would be addressed.”

I tilted my head carefully to glance at him. “Was it?”

Neji shook his head. “No. It was stressed, though, that separating yourself from the outside world and the suffering that inevitably comes with it was counterproductive, as was Self-denial. It makes one wonder why more shinobi do not achieve inner peace when their lives are so full of suffering, but it occurs to me that perhaps being a ninja is also a form of Self-denial.”

My head reeled a little from just how many words my usually frugal student was using and how well he was putting them together. “How… so?”

“Anonymity.”

“What?”

Neji rolled those white eyes in mild exasperation. “When you’re one of many- a single man among thousands- it’s easier to become pawns or lose a sense of individual responsibility.”

“But wouldn’t that create unity?”

“No. It creates mob mentality. A shinobi can lose himself within the unity of his allies- get caught in a cause- but that is different than placing yourself inside of everything.”

“A… ah.”

Neji contemplated quietly, his book settling in his lap. “So I wonder, sensei, if what I’m dong will get me anywhere. My desire to escape from Self seems only to lead me further into it, which in theory is the whole idea, but it doesn’t make it easier.”

“Well, suffering is the path to enlightenment.”

“As is joy, greed and all the other emotions,” Neji frowned. “I suppose it is most efficient to find all those experiences through the life of a ninja.”

“Is that why you became a ninja?”

Neji turned and looked at me. “What else would I be? It’s in my blood.”

“But is it in your heart.”

“Sensei, if it’s in my blood, it is by extension in my heart.”

“You know what I mean, Neji.”

“And I answered it accordingly,” Neji whisked the droplets off the side of his popsicle. He lightly ran his tongue over his lips and stated, “The decision for me to become a shinobi was never a question, sensei.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“My clan has been bred meticulously to produce the ideal shinobi. My father was a ninja- as were many generations before him- and it was his greatest dream that I would be, as well. The circumstances of my birth, as well as a fantastical genetic structure provided sufficient reason for me to excel in this life. I would not be so perfect for something I was not meant to do, sensei.”

“That is a huge rationalization.”

“Is it? Then it is also by choice that I will continue to excel and surpass my entire genetic line, yet will never climb any higher than I am now. It’s also choice that sends shinobi unwittingly to their deaths by comfortable members of the political class. Yet whose choice is it? It is certainly not mine,” Neji bit off a section of his popsicle and let it melt in his mouth. He turned to me with a face bored with injustice. “Don’t you find it funny, sensei, that you can train me to murder others in the guise of teaching me to protect myself?”

“Neji! That-“

“And it’s understandable, sensei. It’s a noble endeavor. After all, it’s obvious you honestly care about my well-being- God knows why- and really, what else can be expected? It is not like if you or even the whole village stopped training shinobi that the rest of the world would follow. And even if they did, how can you repress every individuals’ desire to succeed at all costs? How can you control the innate desire for wealth, power and recognition? You can’t and that’s alright. It is through connection to the misery caused by the human vices in all of us that we can achieve our inner peace. Yes?”

He had lost me somewhere around ‘what else can be expected’ and I never caught his train of thought again.

Neji shrugged off my confusion, sliding the rest of his popsicle off the stick and flicking said stick into the trees. “Regardless. While humans are bound to their fate of debauchery, our bodies are temporary.”

“That’s a morbid thought, Neji.”

“It’s optimistic, if you think about it. When we die, our bodies become Om, even if we are forced to be born again into a new fate,” Neji placed his hands behind his head and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. “I suppose that is why I’m so adamant to find my inner peace.”

“What do you mean?”

“In theory, if you obtain Nirvana- this inner peace- than you are freed from the hands of fate forever, meaning you’ll never again be born into a new destiny. It’s a pleasant though, although it makes achieving it that much harder since I am now in active search of it,” Neji turned those fathomless eyes up and looked at the painted sky through the tangle of the branches. “Maybe I’ll find my answers with it.”

I looked up as well, trying to see what he was seeing. I could not see anything except a couple of birds’ nests and the colors of the setting sun. I frowned, turning back to look at my strangely poetic student. “So why are you rereading it if it doesn’t answer your questions?”

“Every time you read a book, you read it through the glass of experience.”

“Huh?”

“If I read this book a year ago, then it read it again now, the experiences I had suffered between then and now would cause me to read the book differently.”

“So it’s like reading a new book every time.”

“With a strong feeling of deja vu.”

“Interesting…”

I paused for a long time, staring up into the sky as if I would ever be able to see what he was seeing. Then, I turned my eyes down again to watch my student. Everything he had said seemed so farfetched (or at least what I had gotten from it). On the outside, he looked for all the world extremely in control. While I certainly knew better, in that moment I honestly thought that I was looking at someone who knew very much what they were destined to do and had come to peace with it a long time ago.

“Neji.”

Those eyes flickered briefly towards me, but did not linger. “Hm?”

“What answers are you looking for exactly?”

Neji did not reply immediately. In fact, as minutes ticked by, I felt like he would not answer at all. Those eyes were just staring up into the sky and I began to think that he was not looking at anything at all, rather than looking through it. I was about to brush my question aside when he finally spoke: “I’m not sure.”

“Not sure?” I repeated. I cocked an eyebrow. “Then how will you know when you find them?”

“I’ll know.”

“Okay… so what are the questions? Maybe that-“

“I know the questions and I know what I’m looking for, sensei. You need not concern yourself.”

I frowned. “I’m always concerned for you, Neji.”

“Why? I’ve proven myself fully capable and have given you no reason to think otherwise.”

“Yes, but… it’s not so much about your training, kiddo. It’s about you.”

“Well, I’m none of your business, sensei. Concern yourself with what you can influence and leave the rest.”

“Are you saying I can’t influence you?”

Neji turned to me with those white eyes and a chill went down my spine. “I’m saying that you will not change the path I have been set on and while you are part of my greater destiny, you are by no means directing it. You cannot change my fate.”

My stomach sunk and I felt something ominous in my chest. “And what’s your fate?”

“I state again, sensei. I am none of your business.”

I stared at him for a long time, even when those eyes turned away from me again and back through the branches. What he had said had struck me in a place I could not pinpoint and was resonating with disturbing solidity somewhere under my heart.

“Neji.”

“Hm?”

“I don’t deal with children a lot- y’know, besides you, Tenten and Lee- but I’m fairly sure you should not be thinking this deeply at your age. Your youth should be-“

“Ignorant. I know.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have said it like that, but yeah I guess. Ignorance is bliss, right?”

“It’s a little late for that, sensei. You can’t ask me to delude myself when I’m fully aware of the facts.”

“Yeah, but I want you to be aiming for bigger things, kiddo, like your teammates. Kids shouldn’t be so concerned with the facts rather than their dreams.”

“My teammates’ lofty dreams are a single foothold that allows them to struggle on, despite all that is working against them and what will inevitably take them down to their place.”

“You should not talk about your teammates dreams that way, Neji.”

“It is what it is,” Neji sat up off the tree with a heavy sigh. “You assume I have no goals because I do not share them, but you’re mistaken. I have goals that have been set in stone and I will reach them in time. What happens in between is of little concern.”

I forced an uneasy smile, the heaviness of Neji’s words just adding to the inexplicable feeling in my chest. “It’s all about the journey, Neji.”

“There’s no journey without a destination.” Neji stood up and stretched. Those white eyes scanned the area once again, never really seeing much of anything. He turned to me. “I’m going home.”

I glanced at the sky, which was darkening as we spoke. “I guess I should go with you.”

“I’m not a child, sensei. I know my way home,” With that stated, he hopped out of the tree and landed gracefully on the grass below. He turned back up to me. “This was nice.”

Surely that was not a compliment. “Oh?”

Neji nodded lightly. Without saying another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me to wonder what had just happened.


	7. The Mission

“-And hold it! Be sure you’re pulling all the way, guys.”

It was a warm summer morning and I was calling my students through their morning stretches, as I did every morning. I had a long day planned, which included several variations on the common sparring technique.

“Alright, to your left! All the way!”

It was going to be exciting. The Academy did a fine job, but their ways were too set. The variations would take my students out of their comfort zones and force them to accommodate. I specifically searched for and designed them to put each of my students at an individual disadvantage and encourage the use of their skills, rather than their strengths.

“And up! Higher, Tenten!”

Then, a fleeting shape caught my eye and I glanced up to see a shadow circling overhead. Cocking a heavy eyebrow, I settled back down onto my feet and let my arms fall back to my sides.

“Sensei?” Lee asked curiously. “What is it?”

I frowned, but did not answer. I held out my arm. The shadow flickered and took a dive, swooping out of free-fall at the last second to land gracefully on my arm. The small crow cawed softly and fluttered its wings. It looked at me expectantly through a single, beady black eye. “It’s a messenger.”

Tenten’s face lit up. “Who’s it from? What’s it say?”

I unhooked the lid of the container on the bird’s back, retrieving the note from inside. Its job complete, the crow took off again back towards the aviary. I opened the slip of paper and read it, a smile grow on my lips. “Well, my wonderful students. It looks like we have a new mission.”

Lee pumped his fist. “Yes! It has been much too long!”

Tenten snatched the paper away from me, reading it excitedly, “Oh! It’s out of town!”

Lee shoved her aside and relieved her of the paper. “No way! It is! We are going to the Land of Rivers!”

Neji slammed his elbow into Lee’s chest, plucking the paper casually out of the air. “It’s a bodyguard mission.”

Tenten hooked her ankle around Neji’s legs and yanked them out from under him. “But who are we guarding!”

Lee kicked her in the calves and sent her to the ground. “Does it say?”

“Alright, alright!” I retrieved the note before my students hurt each other. “This is just a notice! We still have to go and get the official briefing.”

“Most excellent!” Lee surged to his feet, shouting, “I will race you there!”

“No fair!” Tenten cried, dashing after him. “You got a head start! Get back here!”

I laughed heartily, slapping Neji on the back. “Come on, Neji!”

My team and I raced our way to the Academy, where Lee and Tenten crashed into our briefing room and startled every man there. Neji and I were not far behind and fell in beside them as they argued the outcome of their race.

“I won!”

“No way! I won!”

“In your dreams, Tenten!”

There was a short cough and my competitive students fell quiet. They glanced over their shoulders to find the Hokage giving them a reproachful stare. They exchanged glances, then politely went to attention.

The Hokage hid a smile around his pipe. “Team Gai.”

A single, sharp chorus of “Yes, sir!” hit the room with finality.

I beamed.

The Hokage nodded his approval. He shuffled through his papers, choosing one and reading: “You have been assigned to protect the businessman Rui Sasayaka on his return to his home in Tanigakure, in the Land of Rivers. While you are there, you will pick up the treaty the Daimyos of the Fire and Rivers have drawn up. Gai, it will be your responsibility to see that the treaty is brought back here promptly and safely.”

I nodded. “Yes, sir!”

One of the retired teachers from the Academy located a scroll on the desk and held it out for us. “Here is the map leading to your final destination. The entire trip should last about six days.”

I retrieved it and placed it safely in my weapons pouch. Before I could ask a crucial question, my inquisitive little flower beat me to it: “Where’s our client?”

The Hokage glanced over and our eyes followed. There, standing quietly and unobtrusively against the wall, was an old man dressed in traveling clothes. He smiled and his face crinkled, as if it was very used to it. It made me want to smile and when I looked around, I found the rest of my team smiling, too (with the obvious exception).

The Hokage cleared his throat meaningfully. “Since this is short-notice, you have an hour to prepare yourselves. Is this acceptable, Sasayaka-san?”

“Do not rush,” The man said quietly, making a gentle wave with his hand. “I’m in no hurry.”

“We will be back in forty minutes,” I assured him confidently, looking around to make sure my students understood. “We will meet you at the village gates.”

“That is fine. Thank you for doing this.”

“It’s what we live for!”

With a polite bow to Sasayaka and the Hokage- copied by my students- we left and split up to prepare ourselves for a long journey. It did not take me twenty minutes to get ready, as I- like most jounin- always had a backpack lined up for a last-minute mission. I arrived at the village gates early and greeted my client warmly. We engaged in small talk about what exactly I was to expect while awaiting my students’ arrival. I wanted to be as prepared as possible, since this would be my team’s first overnight mission outside the village. I wanted it to go off without a hitch.

Neji was naturally the first to return, looking well-prepared and collected as usual. Tenten and Lee arrived within a minute of each other and- based on how breathless they were and their good-natured arguing- they had been racing again.

I broke up a potential fight before it happened and we set out. It was not five minutes out of the gates that Tenten’s curiosity got the best of her and she started asking questions.

“What kind of business do you do run, Sasayaka-san?”

The old man smiled. “Real estate.”

“Oh… so why were you in Konoha?”

“I have much property there. I was checking up on it and collecting important documents.”

“Oh. Is it like apartments or houses? Or is it business?”

“A little bit of everything, but mostly business.”

“What kind of businesses?”

I gently nudged her. “Tenten.”

“What?”

“Go easy on the questions.”

“What? I’m just curious!”

Sasayaka chuckled. “It’s alright, dear. I don’t mind sharing.”

Tenten stuck her tongue out at me and continued to grill our client. “Is the Land of Rivers nice?”

“Very nice. You will like it there.”

“What’s it like?”

“Well, as you can imagine, there are many rivers running through it. In fact, every river in that runs through the nations of the world will eventually run through the Land of Rivers.” Sasayaka chuckled lightly. “Which makes it ideal for a businessman to live there.”

Lee cocked his head slightly. “Why?”

“The Land of Rivers is the traditional trading post for the world due to the ease and speed of getting goods over water, in comparison to traveling over land. You can get anything anywhere from a port in the Land of Rivers.” Sasayaka smiled again. “It makes the people in my country quite diverse.”

“I always thought the Land of fire was the biggest business country,” Lee remarked.

“I can understand that conclusion. The Land of Fire is large and connected to many countries, as well as to the Land of Rivers. A lot of goods going to other countries must pass through the Land of Fire first.”

“But, I thought all rivers went through the Land of Rivers.”

“But not all countries are directly beside us.”

I was impressed by how easily Sasayaka interacted with my students. Many of our clients communicated through me rather than deal with children, but Sasayaka did not seem to mind. I thought that he might feel differently after three or so days, but he never got tired of it. He talked endlessly, sharing the wealth of knowledge and stories he had collected over the years and recollecting them so vividly even my little Tenten’s curiosity was satisfied. He was relaxed and collected, even when my students were fussy and tired. He only worried during and after attacks on our group, concerned for the safety of my fearless students and for the trouble he feared he was causing.

Still, it was not soon enough when we arrived in Tanigakure, the capital in the heart of the Land of Rivers. The city was small, but it was bustling with activity just like the rest of the country. A river ran directly through the center of the city and small canals had been cut through the ground so that all travel could be done by boat.

“It’s busy…” Tenten breathed quietly, as we weaved our way through the crowd.

Sasayaka chuckled. “That’s a business town for you, dear.”

Lee looked around and his eyes darted over the many faces in the crowd. “There are so many people here!”

“They come from all over, from the shores of the Wave Country to the tundra of the Land of Snow. We’ve even gotten a few foreigners from overseas, few and far between.”

“Overseas…” I was sure Lee had never even seen the ocean and the idea that people could live on the other side was baffling.

Sasayaka turned to us cheerfully. “Would you care for a tour?”

“Yes!” Tenten shouted quickly. “I want to see everything!”

“So do I!”

Sasayaka smiled, but turned for my approval anyway.

I looked at my students’ eager faces and my steadfast heart melted. I wanted to return with the treaty promptly- like I was ordered- but I could not turn them down. I made myself realize that it was my team’s first time outside of Konoha and even though it pained me to put the mission second, their education was my top priority. I sighed lightly. “Alright.”

Lee and Tenten cheered. Neji was as indifferent as before.

Sasayaka chose the services of a little old lady in a beautifully ornate boat, who was as kind as he was though much quieter. Sasayaka did most of the talking as we sailed through the many canals of the small village, pointing out and going into detail about every building, business and strange item we passed. Everywhere one looked, there was a business deal being struck. Goods and animals were switching hands right and left and the only constant was the flash of ryo.

Lee was awestruck by the sheer amount of items, people and creatures that surrounded us. Tenten spotted the fires of the famous weapons forges and almost exploded with excitement. Neji seemed more interested in the people surrounding him and in the mechanics of the boat than anything else. I was actively engaged in Sasayaka’s explanations. I had been to the Land of Rivers many times, but I had never known anything about it. Sasayaka knew everything.

The village was small, so the tour ended too quickly. The little old lady dropped us off in front of town hall, a huge, gilded building in the center of the village. Sasayaka thanked the woman for her time and paid her handsomely, then offered to take us inside before he left.

The idea of him leaving horrified Tenten and Lee. They crowded around him, trying to convince him to stay. He gave me a sidelong glance of knowing. I sighed and- figuring the Taigakage would have a lot to say- told my students to spend the rest of the day learning about Tanigakure. They were ecstatic and Tenten’s inquisitive nature immediately showed again as she and Lee dragged Sasayaka away.

I glanced down at Neji, who had not followed them. “Aren’t you going?”

“I don’t like this place.”

I cocked an eyebrow at him. “You don’t?”

Neji glanced around suspiciously, searching the faces of the crowded canals. He frowned. “This place is not as it seems. There is something here.”

“It’s a town of business. Everything is here.”

“No…” Those white eyes turned to the east, towards the deserted outskirts of the village.

I tried to follow his gaze, but all I could see was buildings, people, animals and canals. I turned back to him. “You worry too much. Go catch up with your teammates.”

“I want to see the Taigakage.”

“Neji, no offense, but you’re a kid. He’s not going to talk to you-“

“He doesn’t have to speak. He just has to be there.”

With that said, Neji brushed past me and entered the town hall. I caught up and removed the Hokage’s request from my bag as I walked. Immediately, I noticed the distinct lack of guards in the place, even as I approached the Taigakage’s office. Perhaps I was used to the offices of the Five Kages, but I had figured there would be at least one shinobi looking out for the village leader. We approached the office door and I knocked.

From within, I heard a sharp voice call out, “Enter!”

I pushed the door open and was graced with the sight of the ornate room, lavishly decorated in a scheme of gold and brown. I felt like I should have been dressed nicer, but for all the details of the golden room, my attention was drawn to the man in the center. He was not dressed in the robes of a Kage, but rather in the silk suit of a business man. He glanced over the rim of a coffee mug as I entered and he frowned upon seeing me, regarding me with a harsh glare. “You must be the messenger from Konoha.”

I nodded. “Yes. I am Maito Gai. This is my student, Neji Hyuuga.”

Such a look of distaste spread across the man’s face that I suspected his drink had been poisoned. “I don’t allow children in my office.”

“Understood, but I assure you, he is more well-behaved than any adult.”

“Is that so? Then I am sure he is aware that staring is considered rude and he is choosing to ignore it.”

I took a slight glance down and found Neji gazing so intently at the Taigakage it could have frozen him. I gave him a subtle nudge. “Neji.”

Neji did not falter. A few seconds passed like days. Then, he blinked sharply and turned to me. The look I received sent shivers down my spine. “I will be outside.”

“A… alright…?” I watched him go and stared incredulously at the door. The Taigakage had to clear his throat to regain my attention. I snapped forward. “Y-yes! Excuse me.”

The man grimaced, as if talking to me pained him. “You’re here to collect the treaty, correct?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Then take it,” The man opened his desk and withdrew a thick stack of papers, held together with a binder clip. He pushed the bundle across the table. “You’ll find it all there, along with my signature and the signatures of both my and your Daimyos. I’m sure it’ll be to the Hokage’s liking.”

“I’m sure,” I retrieved the bound treaty and was surprised at its weight. I placed it securely into my backpack. “Is th-“

“That will be all,” The man stated, waving me off and turning his back on me. “You may show yourself out.”

I bristled at the unkindly and most unyouthful dismissal. If I had been off duty, the Taigakage certainly would not brush me off so lightly again. However, I swallowed my pride long enough to reply: “Right. Taigakage-sama.”

I exited and narrowly avoided trampling my student. “G-! Neji!”

Those white eyes flickered sideways, then Neji turned sharply and walked down the hallway. I closed the Taigakage’s door behind me and went after him. His walk was swift and determined. I had to lengthen my stride just to keep up. “Neji, where are you going?”

He did not reply. We exited the town hall and entered the busy streets. Neji wove deftly through the crowds, so quickly that I nearly lost him more than once. He led me down several crowded and twisted paths before yanking me into a side alley. I glanced behind me, then turned back to my strange student. “What is it?”

“Where’s the treaty?”

“In my bag. Why does it-?”

Neji held his hand out. “Give it to me.”

“What? Neji, no offense-“

_“Now.”_

I hesitated, staring at him for the longest time but that gaze never faltered.

Those eyes narrowed.

Reluctantly, I removed my backpack and retrieved the treaty. I handed it to him, asking, “What’s this all about? Why do you need it?”

Neji placed the stack of papers into his bag and strapped it back on. “It is best if only one of us knows.”

That phrase made my blood run cold. “What are you talking about?”

“We’ll see. Come, sensei. We have to find Lee and Tenten and get out of this village.”

I could not believe I was taking orders from my student, but there was something disturbing about the way he was acting. I nodded and we moved swiftly, making our way up to the rooftops of the bustling city. I glanced around the crowded canals and streets for my remaining students, two faces I could spot a mile away.

“There.”

I turned and followed Neji’s finger. I could see nothing, but did not doubt for a second those sharp eyes. He sprung off the roof and I followed behind him. We found Tenten and Lee with Sasayaka, who was deep into the rich history of the Tani weapons forges.

Neji snapped his hands onto their shoulders. “Lee, Tenten. We’re leaving.”

“Huh?! Already?!” Tenten cried. “We just got here! I haven’t even seen-!”

“Tenten. We’ve been summoned back to the village.”

The blatant lie was sudden and discomforting. A cold rush went down my spine, but I did my best to keep it off my face. “Don’t worry, my little flower. This isn’t the last time you’ll be here!”

“But-!”

“Now, Tenten, don’t argue,” Sasayaka chided gently, patting her softly on the head. “Your sensei’s right. The next time you all are back in Tani, just give me a call and we’ll pick up where we left off.”

“But-!”

“Go on now. It must be important if they sent for you all the way out here.”

“Aw…” The collective, disappointed groan from Lee and Tenten made my heart ache, but I could not shake the frigid feeling in my guts about Neji’s behavior. We said a quick round of goodbyes to our old client and headed out of the village immediately.

“Sensei, why were we summoned back so fast?” Lee asked, as we crossed the bridge leading out of the village.

“Why? Er…” I paused for a moment to think of something, anything. “Apparently… one of our old clients requested us! Specifically!”

Lee raised a curious eyebrow. “Which one?”

“Uh… it didn’t say.”

“Oh. Okay.”

I gave a subtle sigh of relief. As we headed home, our pace was quick and dogged, following Neji’s brisk gait. Several times, Tenten complained for him to slow down, but I encouraged her to persevere. For training’s sake. I did not have a chance again that day to ask what Neji knew, but it became clear to me that night- when Neji insisted we hold off on making camp- that he knew something I should have.

I waited until Tenten and Lee were settling down for the night to take Neji aside and question him. “Neji, what is going on? You act like we’re going to be attacked.”

A fierce mask of veins surrounded those dead white eyes, which darted around as if I were not even there. “Go put my teammates at ease.”

“Neji-“

“They do not need to know.”

His vague evasiveness only put me more on guard, yet I conceded. Reluctantly, I left him and went to put my other students to bed. I tried to stay positive, but they could feel my nerves and the fact that Neji was not going to bed with them only made them more uncomfortable. I distracted them from their instincts the best I could, telling them a fantastical story I exaggerated beyond belief. I went on and on, talking and talking until they both drifted off. By then even I was tired, but my nerves were alight with suspicion. The icy paranoia Neji had put in my guts would not let me sleep.

Carefully, I arose from between Tenten and Lee and went back to Neji, who was still standing guard outside our tents. “Have you seen anything?”

“No.”

“Then you should sleep. Whatever it is, it isn’t coming tonight.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Neither do you.”

Neji glanced at me out of the corner of those eyes, then turned his gaze back out onto the horizon. Under the light of a waxing moon, I could see the veins disappear under Neji’s skin. Without a word, Neji stood up and went back to his teammates.

I sighed softly and turned my own eyes towards the skyline, to await the rising sun.

It was a long night before the sun rose again and I was tired. I shook it off as I went to wake my students. I arrived to find that Neji had already woken them and all of them were fussing with each other, which I took as a good sign.

As we ate a quick breakfast, Neji passed me the treaty from his bag. “Here.”

I stared at it blankly before taking it. It was lighter than I remembered it being. “I thought you wanted it.”

“Changed my mind.”

Lee laughed, teasing, “Too heavy for you, Neji-chan?”

Neji did not react immediately. He waited until Lee’s glass was at his face, then tipped it over with his chopsticks- which started a fight that took five minutes to break up and left Lee with a bloody lip.

Once that was settled, we headed out again. Our pace was still quick, but I positioned Neji in front to prevent my other students from seeing how actively that powerful Byakugan was searching. I tried to commit to casual conversation with my other students, but often found my eyes wandering around nervously and the tension grew tight around us.

Finally, Tenten stopped abruptly and blurted out, “Sensei, what’s going on? Why are you so nervous?”

I stopped and turned back towards her. “Nervous? Tenten, precious, I’m not nervous-“

“Liar! You’ve been nervous since yesterday! What’s going on? What are you so scared of?”

“Tenten, darling-“

Tenten shoved her fists onto her hips and narrowed her fierce brown eyes.

I waved it off. “It’s nothing. Having important documents makes sensei jittery, that’s all. Now let’s keep going before our heart rate drops.”

“Right! Come on, Tenten!” Lee shoved her forward. “We will not get home any sooner this way!”

“Hey! Don’t push me!”

“Then go faster!”

The two pushed and pulled one another, arguing loudly until they ran into Neji’s back and tripped him up. Neji turned sharply on them, snapping, “Hey!”

Tenten grinned and jostled Neji playfully. “Come on, Neji! Go faster!”

“No! Cut it out!”

Lee shoved his hands into their backs, laughing, “Faster!”

Neji smacked him upside the head. “I said stop it!”

“Oh come on! You’ve been running us ragged since we left Tani!” Tenten poked Neji, grinning. “You can walk faster than that!”

“Tenten, I am not joking-“

“Tenten! I will race you to that boulder!”

Tenten’s eyes jumped to the boulder far ahead. Her grin widened. “You’re on! Come on, Neji! Last one there is a rotten egg!”

Without waiting for a reply, Tenten and Lee sprinted forward in a mad dash to be first.

My heart leapt. “Tenten! Lee! Don’t get too far ahea-!”

Neji suddenly jerked and those eyes snapped forward. “Sensei!”

My mind blanked. I lunged for my students as two shinobi landed directly in front of them, brandishing weapons. I grabbed their arms and yanked them out of harm’s way. Shoving them back towards Neji, I threw my leg sideways and took them both out in an explosion of white smoke. I panicked, jumping back to protect my students.

There was an unnerving silence.

“Neji…”

Neji pointed to my left. “There.”

My eyes fell to where he indicated, but there was nothing there except the boulder my students had been racing towards. Then, three shinobi materialized out of the shadows on the rock face. I spotted the symbols of the Rain on their headbands. I narrowed my eyes carefully, drawing my students behind me.

“Look at that,” one of them snapped, jabbing a finger at Neji. “The Hyuuga’s just a kid! Like the rest of ‘em! Setsu made it sound like a squadron of jounin were coming. Konoha’s underestimating us again.”

“What do you want?” I snapped, watching as the three surrounded us.

The lead ninja narrowed his eyes at me. “I want the treaty.”

Of course he did. I frowned. “Absolutely not.”

“Look, man, there’s nothing in that treaty for Konoha. It’s a protection agreement!” The shinobi rolled his eyes with a casual wave of his hand. “The Land of Rivers can’t handle Amegakure on their own, so they went and cowered behind Mama Konoha’s skirts. Trust me, it’d be in your best interest to lose that treaty. It’ll save your village a lot of cash and manpower.”

“Forget it. You’re not getting it.”

The lead shinobi scowled. “Fine. If you want to die so badly.”

One of them grabbed for Tenten. She whipped out a kunai and sliced his hand open. The breath hissed between his teeth as he staggered back. Tenten brandished her weapon fearlessly, putting her other hand into her weapons pouch.

“Ha! She’s fiesty!” The lead shinobi pulled a sword off his back. “But, we’ll see who’s the better-“

I struck him hard in the stomach, seizing his arm and throwing him bodily into his companion. I lunged for the other, shouting, “Neji! Lee! Tenten! Go!”

Neji grabbed his teammates by the wrists and made a run for it. Confident, I slammed a foot into the last man’s head, bringing him down. I turned sharply to finish off the other two when I heard-

_“Gai-sensei!”_

My eyes snapped around in panic to see my beloved Lee running back towards me. “Lee! No!”

My hand dove into my kunai holster and I barely blocked the sword arching towards my neck. I had no choice but to turn and face my attacker. He was skilled, swinging his sword deftly against my blocks and pairing it with swift kicks. I pushed forward, ducking under the shining blade to bring my fist smashing down into his chest. As the man slammed into the ground, I felt bone bend and snap. I brought a second fist down and knew he would not get back up. I whirled around, begging that-

My heart stopped.

The final shinobi’s body was heaving, but his eyes were manic with success. Below him, pinning by the neck under his foot, was my precious Lee

Cold dread slid down my body like ice. This could not be…

The Ame-nin drew a kunai and spun it in his hand. “What now, Konoha?”

I swallowed nervously, my eyes flickering between the kunai and my struggling protege. The ninja laughed breathlessly. “I’ll trade you. Your precious kid for the treaty.”

This was impossible. The conflict was impossible. This was just a D-rank mission. There was not supposed to be any danger. My kids were supposed to be safe. This was supposed to be an outing, casual fun outside of Konoha, just something for my students to cut their teeth on. They were supposed to be safe! I should not have to sacrifice the lives of thousands, the trust of a nation to save them-!

“Sensei!”

My eyes flickered back, to where Neji and Tenten were standing mere feet behind the ninja. Both of them were panting, but Neji was not panicking. Those emotionless white eyes narrowed. “Give him the treaty!”

I hesitated. Surely Neji knew it was not so easy… surely he…

“Sensei, the _treaty!”_

A disgustingly smug grin slid across the Ame-nin’s face. “The Hyuuga brat has more sense than you. Think about it! This isn’t about you. This isn’t even about Konoha. It’s between us and the Land of Rivers. Give me the treaty, go home and forget about it!”

My eyes flickered between him, my precious student and Neji. I could not… could not believe it, even as I pulled my backpack off and retrieved the bundle of papers.

The Ame-nin’s eyes lit up hungrily. “That’s right. Give it here.”

Every fiber in my being told me not to, but I stepped forward slowly. I fought every instinct in my body, every ounce of knowledge, every rule drilled into my brain, to hand the treaty over.

The Ame-nin seized the treaty and yanked it from my hand, as if it were made of gold. His eyes were glowing greedily. “Yes!”

“Now let my student go!”

“Back off!” the shinobi snapped. “I’ll let your brat go when I can’t sense your chakra anymore! Any of yours!”

I gritted my teeth furiously. “You have what you want! Let him go!”

“I said back off!” The Ame-nin pushed down, making my beloved Lee gag and gasp.

My heart jumped. I backed away. I turned to my other students, who were just staring in terror at the situation. I motioned for them to leave. I saw the tears spill down Tenten’s cheeks. Neji reached back and pushed her away from the scene, backing up after her.

I heard the Ame-nin chuckle. He slid the kunai back into his holster, then began to slowly turn the pages of the treaty. “Finally. No more of this ridiculous…”

The silence that followed was horrendous.

“What…? What is this…”

My stomach dropped. My eyes snapped to Neji. Surely he had not-!

_“What the fuck is this?!”_ The Ame-nin roared. The treaty hit the ground in an explosion of pages. He ripped the kunai back from its holster. “You wanna play games, Konoha?! I can play games!”

**_“No!”_**

The metal flashed. Blood splattered the ground. Then, a pair of hands were shoved violently under the ninja’s ribcage. The breath exploded from his lungs. The kunai went spinning. The man collapsed, gagging and gasping. With a heave, blood spurted from his lips. He struggled to right himself, clawing desperately at the ground.

**SNAP**.

The man fell limp.

I stared disbelievingly. Such efficient brutality… no margin for error… not even hesitation…

Neji’s body was heaving. He stood over the man’s body without a drop of regret, panting. Blood dropped from his pale skin, running from the gaping gash in his arm.

I ran for him and grabbed his shoulders. “Neji, you’re-!”

Neji snapped around to where Tenten was helping Lee sit up. “What were you thinking?”

Lee jumped violently. His eyes darted and his mouth moved, but nothing came out.

“What in the hell were you trying to prove?” Neji advanced on his teammate, standing over him like a demon. “You could’ve been killed! When Gai tells you to go, you go!”

“I… I-I thought-“

“You _thought?”_ Neji’s voice cracked. “If you had been thinking, you would have run! What did you expect to do?”

“Neji, I don’t-“

“Shut up, Tenten! This isn’t about you!”

Tenten quailed.

Lee looked between her and Neji, stammering, “I… I just…”

“You just what, Lee? What did you expect to do!”

“I wanted… I could-“

“Look at yourself! You couldn’t have done anything and you know it!” Neji’s hand lashed out, pointing at Lee as if sentencing him to death. “Give it up, Lee! This isn’t a game anymore. You aren’t a ninja and you never will be!”

Lee winced, cowering under the repeated curse.

Neji suddenly grabbed the gash in his arm, the breath hissing between his teeth.

Tenten’s hand came up halfway. “N-neji, you’re hurt…

“I’m not blind…” Neji was calm, but his legs were trembling and his fingertips were white.

I took Neji’s shoulders again. “Neji, we need to fix your arm.”

Neji did not reply. He just stood there, panting softly. Then, he slowly removed his hand and looked at his bloody palm. He stared at it, like he did not understand what was happening. Finally, those eyes slid back to Lee with a death-like gaze…

_“Neji, I am sorry!”_ Lee screamed desperately. Tears spilled down his cheeks and he cried, “I am so sorry! Please forgive me! I did not mean for you to get hurt!”

Neji just stared at him, panting. Then, quietly, he stated: “If you were sorry, you wouldn’t do it…”

Lee’s entire body fell, as if Neji had shot him.

I squeezed my student’s shoulders firmly. “Neji, that’s enough. I need to fix your injury.”

Neji turned on me with that same death-like stare. I froze and cold terror hit me in the guts. From behind the glaze of pain, the accusing stare pierced my very soul.

He knew.

I knew.

I jerked my eyes away from him. “Neji, please.”

Neji blinked carefully and turned away from me. He looked a thousand days older, exhausted and worn out. I motioned to my trembling students and they hesitantly stood up. Together, we stumbled away from the carnage and found a secluded place off the road to tend our wounds.

The icy tension did not break for hours. It was not until sixteen stitches had been placed and dinner had been made that Tenten’s valiant chipping away paid off. Her good-natured humor and silver linings lightened our spirits, yet the bandages wrapped around Neji’s upper arm reminded us bitterly of what had happened.

Even if we never spoke of it again.


	8. An Insane Proposal! Gai Meets Hiashi!

When we finally returned home, I was exhausted. Over the past two days, I had discussed at lengths with Neji the suspicions that led up to the attack on our team. From his accurate observations, I had been able to figure out and report to the Hokage the involvement of Taigakage and the possible interests he held in prolonging the skirmish between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain. The Hokage had been disturbed by my report, but did not hold me to discuss it further. He instead instructed me- or rather let me- to accompany Neji to the hospital.

Neji was admitted quickly and it was not long before a resident medic arrived to tend to the injury. As the medic removed the bandages, I felt sick. Seeing the stitches reminded me how narrowly Neji had avoided death and the guilt made me physically ill. Still, as the medic carefully removed my clumsy stitches, I saw that the wound had not been nearly as bad as I first believed. As long and obvious as it was, it was a clean, shallow cut and when the medic healed the injury with a simple jutsu, I was relieved to see it left no visible mark- just the red line of new skin.

For that, I was thankful.

I wanted to take Neji home and explain to his guardian what had happened- and meet them, too- but Neji left my side as soon as we left the hospital. So I returned home early, with the hopes of a hot meal and a restful night’s sleep.

Even the simple dinner I had the strength to make was better than I could have hoped and it gave me the time to think back on my actions. As I ate, I began to feel more and more as if I should have done more. Like I should have gathered up my students and had a serious discussion over what had occurred. I knew the damage such a traumatic mission could do- especially to my precious protege- but I convinced myself that if I was exhausted, they were three times more so. There was no need to keep them awake. There would be time for such heavy discussions after well-deserved rest.

I told myself over and over that my students were made of tougher stuff than I was willing to believe and that they could handle themselves for one night. I even convinced myself that it might even be good for them to reflect on their own. I repeated my logic again and again until I almost believed it, then washed the dishes and fought yawns as I went to hit the sheets.

I did not sleep well and when my alarm went off in the morning, I found myself in that unusual state of not wanting to get up. Usually, the thought of a new day was enough to have me jumping out of bed, but… not that day. An unrestful night had left me even more exhausted than when I went to sleep and nothing about what was to come encouraged me to get out of bed.

I was expected elsewhere, though, and as tired as I was, I could not stress punctuality to my students without being punctual myself. Besides, what was the point in putting off what needed to be done? Better to get it over with and get on with a burning youth. At least, that was the reasoning I half-heartedly used to drag myself out of bed and I wandered towards the bathroom.

After washing my face and getting dressed, I drifted out of my bedroom and into the living room, murmuring to myself the list of things I needed to do that day. It was not until I took four or five steps into the room that I opened my eyes.

_**“GAHMYGODNeji!”**_

My student just nodded from his place on the couch. He did not say anything.

I slapped a hand on my racing heart, willing it to slow down. I had not even sensed him! I rested my other hand against the wall and leaned carefully, sighing, “Neji, what are you doing here?”

Neji shrugged.

I frowned and glanced towards my front door, which I assumed was locked. “How’d you even get in here?”

“I broke the locks on your windows. You should be embarrassed.”

I stared. I felt like I should have been angry about it, but I actually _was_ a little embarrassed. I mean, a twelve-year-old broke into my house and I did not even hear him. That was pretty shameful on my part. I shook my head and walked over to the couch, sitting down beside him. “That’s not the point. Why are you here? Why not knock or ring the doorbell or at least wake me up?”

Neji rolled those white eyes. “When I arrived, I assumed you were engaging in… private activities, based on the distasteful noises coming from your bedroom.”

“Private ac-” My face practically exploded. “ _Wh-what?!_ No! I-! I was having trouble sleeping!”

“It is a natural sleep aid-“

“No! I wasn’t-! I wasn’t doing that! I was j-! _I wasn’t doing that!”_

“Then I’ll take that as peace of mind. If it took you that long, I’d recommend seeing a doctor or getting some visual stimulation-“

“It’s none of your business how long it t- Neji, we are not having this conversation!”

Neji shrugged again, those white eyes still nowhere near looking at me. “Better now than later.”

“I’m not discussing pornography with my twelve-year-old student!”

He frowned. “Why? I haven’t hit puberty yet. This conversation won’t be remotely stimulating for any period between a few months to a year. It’s not like this is an unnatural practice we’re discussing-“

_“We’re not discussing anything!”_ I sighed and rolled my eyes, rewording my previous statement: “We will discuss it, but now is not the time.”

“Better now than-“

“No. That’s not the issue here. Why did you break into my house?”

“You make it sound like I’m a criminal, sensei,” Those white eyes shifted slightly towards me. “I thought you were always available.”

“I am. What do you need?”

Neji’s eyes shifted away again. “Nothing, but if I did, I wouldn’t appreciate the twenty questions regarding it.”

I frowned deeply. It was too early for this. “Is everything alright?”

“Nothing’s out of the ordinary.”

“And is the ordinary good?”

“That’s up to interpretation.”

“What’s your interpretation?”

Neji scoffed and shook his head. “Nothing is good in my interpretation.”

This was ridiculous, but I was genuinely starting to grow concerned. This kind of evasiveness was now associated with terrible things and I simply had to find a way to skirt these word games. “Did you check in at home last night?”

“Yes.”

“And what happened?”

“That’s not your business.”

“Considering you broke into my house because of it, it certainly is my business.”

“Assuming the two are related.”

“Neji, quit dodging my questions. Why are you here?”

Neji did not look at me. In fact, those eyes averted even more and I thought he was not going to answer at all. Then, he stood up and stated, “There is no reason.”

With that, he simply turned and stepped towards the window.

“Neji, you are not leaving without answering me.”

“I did.” Neji opened the window.

I crossed the room and reached over him to snap the window shut again. “No, you didn’t.”

Neji glanced up at me with no fear in those bottomless eyes. “You can’t keep me here.”

“I can.”

“You won’t.”

“I will.” I swept him towards the kitchen with one hand. “Go. If I can’t get you to talk, I’ll at least get you to eat.”

Neji scowled at me. “I don’t want to eat.”

“You’re not going to training without breakfast. You’ll pass out.”

For the time being, he resigned to bitterly sitting at my kitchen table and as I moved around my kitchen making breakfast, I was painfully aware of his presence. I assumed it was because he was glaring at my back, but every time I looked over to him, those white eyes were off somewhere else. What he was looking at, I could not even begin to guess. Yet his presence in my home seemed like a bad omen, like a haunting vision or a lingering raven, and once again, I found myself wondering what I did not know.

Breakfast was so dead silent, it was unreal. I had assumed that Neji would not eat at all, but I almost would have rather been forcing it than dealing with the oppressive silence. He did not speak a word and his manners were painfully formal. Every movement he made was as practiced and as graceful as his Gentle Fist. I could not imagine how someone could enjoy a meal like that, but I did not question him. I just saw that he ate and that was really all I could do.

Sometime between my clearing and washing of the dishes, Neji disappeared. Quite literally. I did not even hear him leaving, as the discomfort of his presence still lingered in my home and I still had no idea why he had come in the first place. I tried not to think about it too much, though, and headed out to training on schedule.

The streets were bare except for a few early-rising shopkeepers sweeping their floors. The quiet morning turned my thoughts from one of my students to all of them and what I was going to say to them about our ill-fated mission. I could not think of anything. Did I just jump into it with blunt brutality? Did I ease into it and treat it like a funny story? Did I point out all that went wrong and ignore what went right? Did I point out all that went right and attribute what went wrong to chance? To inexperience? Would I have to punish Lee for his rash decisions? Neji for his cruel words?

I had not come to a decision even when I arrived. I hesitated, stopping in front of the gates. They were already unlocked, so I assumed that Neji had already arrived. I frowned deeply, averting my eyes. I was not sure if I could do it. I knew I needed to, that such mistakes were deadly, but… these were my kids. How could I look into their youthful faces and scold their fiery passion when it was my teachings they were following?

Be fearless. Be spontaneous. Be powerful. Those were the rules I followed…

I set my jaw. This was my team. It was my duty to address their mistakes as my own. If I could not, what good was I as a teacher? What good was I as a mentor, as an idol, as a role model? There was no place for doubt! This was my job!

I sucked up the last of my fortitude and stepped inside. I expected to see Neji calmly meditating in his usual spot, but instead I spotted my youthful young protege throwing strong, accurate punches at a worn-out sparring post. Sweat was already dripping from his chin and the wraps around his hands were filthy. He looked as if he had been there for hours.

I frowned, but I quickly turned it into a forced grin and shouted, “You’re early, Lee!”

Lee jumped so violently, his fist missed the sparring post and the momentum threw him into it. He staggered backwards, shaking his head and blinking the stars from his vision. Then, he just resumed punching without so much as a greeting in return.

My smile got a little tighter. “What are you up to? We haven’t even stretched yet.”

“I know, but… but I have.”

I let my smile disappear. “How long have you been here?”

“Not long enough…”

A bad feeling I was growing too accustomed to began in the pit of my stomach. I glanced behind me, to the gates to the training grounds that were still wide open. I stepped closer to him. “This is about the mission, isn’t it?”

Lee continued to punch, but his lips were white.

My heart ached. “Lee…”

“I do not know what I was thinking, sensei. I should have listened to you the first time.”

I averted my eyes. “Yes, you should have, and we were fortunate this time that… nothing bad happened.”

“He could have killed me.”

Those words hit like lightning, sending a fiery cold tingle down my limbs. I swallowed nervously. “Y-yes… he could have-“

“He would have, if Neji had not saved me…” Lee stopped punching and laid his hands softly on the sparring post. “He could have died just as easily…”

“Y-yes… but, he’s alright now. It was your first time-“

“My only time!” Lee surged up and resumed his fierce punching with a passion. “Never again, sensei! I am doing this- coming in early and training even harder- so I will never be saved again! One day, I will do the saving and everyone will know that I am a great ninja, no matter what!”

I felt my aching heart swell. “Lee…”

“Sensei, I need to work twice- no!- _four times_ as hard! I will be here from morning until night if I must!” Lee suddenly whirled around, slamming his foot into the sparring post and splintering it. He pulled back and struck again and the worn post bent in half. With a heavy, frustrated grunt, he smashed the wooden post and it shattered. The pieces scattered across the grass and Lee turned around fiercely. “That is a promise!”

The tears welled up in my eyes. I wanted to cry, to burst out in a manly expression of passion, but I held it in. “Good! That is the way to your goal, Lee! No amount of talent will get you as far as hard work! Nothing is worth it unless it’s worth the sweat you put into it!”

Lee grinned so widely, it was hard to believe he had been depressed at all.

I grinned back, flashing him a thumbs up. “Your goal is my goal, Lee. Don’t forget that!”

“I won’t, sensei!”

My passion was lit. I forgot about stretching completely and jumped right into training, eagerly taking Lee on in a quick spar before my other two students arrived. From there, I engaged all of them in tag-team taijutsu and a game of advanced hide-and-seek (that Tenten declared Neji banned from after he won twenty games in a row). The horrible mission completely slipped my mind, as my students grew brighter as the day went on and eventually, I figured I would not bring it up again. The mistake had been addressed and what had happened, happened and there was no use dwelling on the past when there was a bright future to run towards.

It was late in the afternoon when I called off training. My students, however, were not quite finished. Lee insisted on one final match against Neji and Tenten graciously agreed to referee, so I let them be and left the training grounds. After all, it was healthy for a budding team to spend time without their sensei and seeing Lee fired up against Neji made me want to challenge my own rival. Unfortunately for me, I had to go find mine and the search left me time alone with my thoughts again.

My thoughts went back to the lingering problem in the back of my mind. I still had no idea what had happened that morning with Neji. Certainly, Neji had been completely normal that day at training. He was as cold and reserved as he always was with his teammates. If I had not known better, I would simply believe I had dreamed it all. Yet the feeling that something beyond a whim brought Neji to my house weighed heavily on my heart and after an unsuccessful twenty minutes, I could not take my mind off it.

That was when I decided that it was time to meet Neji’s guardian. Abandoning my search for Kakashi, I made a bee line for the Hyuuga manor.

When I arrived, I entered somewhat nervously. After all, last time I had been there, I had been chasing Neji down like a rabbit and I could not imagine what impressions his relatives had made about me. Though none of them bothered me when I walked inside, I could tell from their silence and their eyes that the impressions must have been awful. The further I got, the more intense the stares became and I knew I was unwelcome. All around me, quiet conversations stopped and noble eyes turned. Behind the sleeves of kimonos, whispers were hidden and disapproving stares followed me. I felt as if I were walking to my judgement.

I wandered down to Neji’s room, hoping awkwardly that I would meet his guardian along the way. I will admit that I was not completely sure who I was meeting, as Neji had not dropped a name of who was responsible for him yet and I certainly did not want to ask. Yet I was more nervous than disappointed to see that not a single person was within 100 feet of Neji’s door. I had expected someone- anyone- to be there and had not really been prepared for the chance no one would be. So I just stood there dumbly for awhile, trying to muster up the courage to go find someone and just ask.

“May I help you?”

The question was anything but pleasant, but a wave of relief rushed over me anyway and I whirled around, “Yes, y-! Uh…”

And I found myself face to face with Hiashi Hyuuga, the leader of the Hyuuga clan and possibly the most intimidating man I had ever stood before.

This was my luck.

“Well?”

I quickly dipped into a low bow, stating, “Hiashi-san. It’s an honor.”

“Enough. May I help you?”

I straightened up, now uneasy. He did not sound like he wanted to help me at all and I was fairly sure was looking for a reason to get me out. I cleared my throat, mustering up some of my courage. “Y-yes, actually. I’m looking for Neji’s guardian.”

“What did he do?”

The severity in Hiashi’s level voice sent electric shocks down my spine. I quickly shook my head. “Nothing! Nothing. Neji is a wonderful student. I just haven’t had the pleasure of meeting who is responsible for my precious student and I’m sure they’re eager to know how everything has been going-“

“Not as eager as you’d think, Gai.”

For a moment, I assumed he knew my name because Hyuugas knew everything, yet the more it sank in, the worse the realization became. “Hiashi-san…?”

Hiashi’s chin tilted up, as if to purposefully look down on me. “If you wish to speak to me, I’m listening, Gai.”

For a moment, my mouth just moved and nothing came out. In retrospect, I should not have been so surprised, as Hizashi had been Hiashi’s brother, but Neji was a tough enough subject as it was without… this.

Hiashi’s lips tightened into what I assumed was a polite way of rolling his eyes. “Perhaps you’ll be more comfortable sitting down and discussing this over tea.” The man turned and began to walk. “If you will.”

I did not want to go anywhere with him, but one did not just refuse tea with the leader of the Hyuuga clan and- prestigious, influential and powerful as he was- Hiashi was Neji’s guardian and I needed to talk to him.

Hiashi did not turn around once as he walked me to a large, private room near the center of the compound. When we arrived, he slid the door open and waved me inside. “Enter.”

I stepped inside awkwardly and immediately found myself in an elegantly simple living room, kept so clean and formal, I doubted that anyone had ever been inside. I just stood there dumbly for a long time, until Hiashi finally stepped around me and went to the low table in the center of the room.

He knelt down on one of the pristine cushions and made a modest gesture. “Sit.”

I made as few steps as dignity allowed and settled down across from him. My eyes wanted to look around, but I tried to keep my focus politely on Hiashi, even when the man made no effort to break the silence. He made no efforts whatsoever. He simply sat there, waiting patiently. I did not know what he was waiting on, but even as I grew impatient, I did not press it. I just let my eyes wander discreetly around the room, to every impressive and expensive looking detail.

Then, the door leading further into the house slid open and a lovely woman dressed in a simple, flowing kimono entered, bearing a tray with two glasses and a steaming tea kettle. I did not know how she knew we were there or how she knew about the tea and plainly, it was a little unsettling. She knelt beside our table, placing the tray in front of her and serving tea. After placing a warm glass in front of us both, she folded her hands softly in her lap and quietly awaited further instructions.

Hiashi gave a single wave of his hand, not even turning to acknowledge her presence. Yet the woman bowed deeply and exited the room, closing the door behind her and having not spoken a single word.

I turned back to Hiashi, who had not touched his glass and was merely staring at me. I fidgeted uncomfortably. I could see so much of Neji in his face it made my stomach turn. Finally, I broke the silence, “Hiashi-san, I should apologize for not coming to meet you sooner.”

“It was not necessary. Why are you here now?”

“Now?” I took a moment to recall why I had come at all and found no way to lead into it. “Er… your nephew is a wonderful student, Hiashi-san. He’s clever and talented and his fighting style is extremely solid-“

“Your point, Gai.”

I stopped. I cleared my throat. “Er… I guess I am just here to ask… how he is at home?”

“Explain.”

I could definitely see where Neji’s no-nonsense attitude was coming from. “Well, he doesn’t talk about it a lot, but I think it’s affecting how he is at training.”

“How?”

“How…?”

“Need I speak louder, Gai, since you cannot seem to hear me?”

My eyebrows met and I frowned. “He’s angry, Hiashi-san, and he’s frustrated. Always, with everything. There is no reason for him to be that way from what I see of him at training, so I believe he is bringing his feelings from home. I’m asking if there is something wrong.”

Hiashi’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly. “With?”

“With Neji. How does he act when he’s at home and what makes him act that way? Is there something wrong with him?”

“There are many things wrong with my nephew, Gai.”

I felt a rush of relief. Finally, some answers!

“But, none of them concern you.”

The finality of the sentence struck me more than the actual words. I stuttered. “None of m-! It is my business! It’s affecting his training!”

“And again I ask, how so?”

“And I said it’s how he acts! He has no respect for authority, for his peers, for people in general. I will attribute some of it merely to him growing up into a fine young man, but puberty is not going to account for everything.”

“A child will respect a strong figure of authority, Gai.”

My temper flared. “And it was recently that I gained that kind of standing with him, but that-“

“If you have earned the respect you desire, then I do not see the problem.”

“That is not the point, Hiashi-san!”

“Then what is, Gai? Why are you here?”

“I am here because Neji broke into my house last night!” I suppose I blurted that out louder than I meant to, because Hiashi looked at me like I was insane. I cleared my throat, lowering my voice. “I just need information, Hiashi-san. He doesn’t talk about his home life much and what I’ve heard is nothing positive.”

“You were not assigned to discuss Neji’s familial relations, Gai, or to play therapist to him. You were assigned to teach him ninjitsu.”

“I realize that, but part of my job is to make sure he’s safe and in a stable position to learn. I’m not implying he’s not, but he is extremely unhappy.”

“He’s a child.”

“I know, but…” I hesitated, biting the inside of my lip. “Neji… is brilliant, Hiash-san. He’s more intelligent than a lot of jounin.”

“Obviously.”

“Yeah, but… he’s not thinking like he’s supposed to. He is easily a genius beyond his age and natural talent, but… he’s thinking very troubling things.”

“Like?”

“He thinks he knows his fate already and knows everyone elses’, and that he is on a set path and already knows his place-“

“Perhaps he does, Gai, and perhaps you should learn yours.”

I stopped. “Excuse me?”

Hiashi’s face and voice were stern, his white eyes narrowed in warning. “You are exceeding your boundaries as Neji’s teacher and I will ask once and once only for you to back away. You are his teacher. What happens within these walls is none of your business and it would be in your best interest to leave it that way.”

The threat in his voice made my blood boil and hardened my face. “I will not. Neji is my student and I care deeply about his well being. He is not happy here!”

“Enough.”

“No! It’s not enough! You’re his guardian! You should be just as concerned if n-!”

“Enough!” Hiashi’s voice snapped the serenity of the room like twigs. He stood up abruptly and without ceremony, looking down at me like he was going to strike me with lightning. “You are out of line. I suggest you retain what little dignity you have and see yourself out.”

I gritted my teeth firmly, standing up. “You won’t keep this from me forever, Hiashi-san. I will find out one way or another.”

“Your empty threats are meaningless here.”

“It is not a threat. It’s a _promise.”_

With that, I left. I did not look back once, heading straight for the gates of the compound. All around me, clansmen were silent and watching, yet this time I did not care. I exited the compounds and slammed the gates behind me.

As I headed home, my path crossed with Neji, returning from training. I met his eyes for only a fraction of a second and my stomach dropped so far it did not come up. The way he looked at me- the suspicious curiosity- stuck with me long after we passed. Yet, the horrible feeling that Neji was returning to an uncaring home stuck with me for a lot longer.


	9. Illness

I did not bother with Hiashi again, choosing instead to make my precious Neji as comfortable as possible during his time with me. As the weeks passed, I made sure that I was spending time with Neji outside of training, having long (sometimes, one-sided) conversations and at least trying to find him new reading material. If Neji suspected the cause of my increased affection, he certainly did not show it. He merely complained as he was prone to, claiming that I was bothering him and that I was trying too hard. And perhaps I was. After all, our relationship honestly did not change beyond that and I was just fine with that.

So life went on without a hitch and many exciting new missions came our way, including one that had us rounding up escaped bulls from a nearby town. Needless to say, I found out which one of my youthful students would make an excellent rodeo girl that day and the other two had discovered many new skills on the spot. I could not have been prouder when it was reported that all fifty-three bulls had been returned to their ranch with minimal damage to the town. Now marked for skills and their reckless disregard for life and limb, the rancher gave them a shining review and a written request for all future jobs to be transferred to Team Gai, if possible. I am sure that I was beaming so brightly when the Hokage read it that I was blinding him.

The morning after our return, I headed to training in high spirits. It was a warm morning and I was full of the delicious vigor of life and eager to start another day. Even before I entered the gates, I could hear Tenten and Lee playfully fighting with one another. I went inside to find my dear students wrestling each other into the ground. My heart swelled with pride and joy. To be young again!

Satisfied that my more enthusiastic students were present, I looked around expectantly for Neji, who usually waited patiently in meditation for my arrival. Yet he was not in his usual spot, rather a few yards away with his back against a wooden training dummy. He appeared to be asleep. Now, I had never seen Neji sleep- despite several overnight missions- and had never seen him so much as close his eyes during training.

Curious, I skirted my obliviously competitive students and went to wake him up. Yet I did not have to take a second glance at him to realize something was wrong. His usually fair skin was white as powder and it made the slight shadows under those eyes stand out. I gently pressed the back of my hand against his cheek and felt it burn. My lips tightened. I gave him a careful shake, murmuring, “Neji. Neji, wake up.”

Those eyes opened tiredly. They barely even focused. “What?”

He even sounded awful, all that strange authority and unusual power vanished.

I kept mine quiet as I asked, “Why in the world are you here?”

“Training.”

Even his sarcasm lacked its caustic bite! “You know what I mean. You’re sick as a dog! You should be at home resting. Why would you come to training like this? You could get hurt.”

Neji scoffed, but grimaced like it hurt him. I wanted to scoop him up and put him in bed immediately, but I needed more information. “Who let you come to training like this? Where’s Hiashi?”

Neji shrugged. “Who knows.”

That was not what I wanted to hear. I frowned. “Who’s taking care of you?”

Neji raised an eyebrow at me.

My heart sank. I gritted my teeth. He had no business being at training and I could not send him home by himself. I did not see how he got himself to training at all. “Gather your things, Neji. You are going home.”

“I don’t-“

I dismissed any protest. I got up and broke up the escalating fight between Lee and Tenten. “Alright, alright, that’s enough. Cut it out.”

Lee wiped the dirt off his face, exclaiming, “Gai-sensei! Finally!”

It hurt my heart to see their eager faces, but I had more pressing matters to attend. “I know I’m a little late, but I’m going to have to cancel training today. Sensei… has something he needs to take care of.”

“Huh?! No way!” Tenten cried loudly, dusting off her shirt. “You were going to show me new techniques with my bo!”

“I’m deeply sorry, Tenten, but something has come up. Your teammate is very sick.”

Tenten and Lee looked at each other curiously. Then, their faces burst into emotion. Lee’s head snapped over to where Neji was standing. “No way! With what?”

“I’m not sure, but he should not be here. I’m taking him home. Now I’m cancelling training until further notice-“

They both looked horrified. “Sensei, wh-!”

I cut off the rest of their many questions. The worry only grew on their faces. I forced a reassuring grin. “It shouldn’t be too long, you two. We’ll be back before you know it!”

Tenten stepped forward meaningfully. “How long is too long?”

I shook my head. “Just stay here and spar on your own, alright? I will keep you both posted.”

That did not satisfy either of them, but they nodded obediently and backed off. I gave them a reassuring thumbs-up and went back to fetch Neji. The kid was barely able to stand on his feet. I was further amazed that he had made it on his own. With a final wave at my other students, Neji and I began the long walk to the Hyuuga compounds.

The streets at 6:32 were barren and I worried the entire way, wondering if and when my student would suddenly collapse. I could see his whole body trembling and his eyes were dazed. He did not seem to be aware of where he was going or of anything. I wanted to panic. I did not even know the protocol for this.

Then, I felt a sudden weight on the corner of my sleeve. My heart jumped and I quickly looked over, ready to see Neji passing out, but it was just his hand. He did not even look aware of it. In fact, he looked like he was asleep on his feet. I wanted to cry then and there.

It took much longer than usual to reach the Hyuuga manor and when I arrived, I found myself under the morning glares of many, many Hyuugas. All of them looked ready to kill me if given the chance, yet when I stepped forward into the compound, none of them approached me. In fact, as I made my way towards Neji’s room, I found that most of them gave me a wide berth. I could not imagine why, as last time I had been forced to go out of my way to avoid them.

By the time we reached Neji’s door, they had disappeared altogether. I opened the door and gently pushed Neji inside. I closed it behind me and stated, “Alright, kiddo. Let’s get you into bed… wherever it is.”

Neji’s bedroom looked more like a living room than anything, with a large empty space in the middle with the furniture organized neatly around the edges. Yet there was no bed.

“Neji, where do you sleep?”

Neji gave me an exasperated stare, then pointed up. I followed his finger and was immediately greeted by the ‘second story’, which was merely wide catwalks put around the edge of the room. My eyebrows rose. “Whoa. Nice use of space. Who put those in for you?”

“I did.”

“Huh? You?”

“I’m good with tools…” Neji coughed quietly and stepped forward. He sat down in a strange, bowl-shaped chair and collapsed into it. He looked even more exhausted than before.

My heart ached for him. “I’m going to go find someone to watch after you, okay? You hang out and I’ll be back to make sure you get into bed alright.”

Neji scoffed quietly from his seat, but his eyes were already closed.

I left his bedroom quietly, closing the door behind me. I went to the room next door and knocked. When there was no answer, I tried again. Unsuccessful, I tried the one on the other side and was met with the same results. After receiving the same outcome with four others, I became frustrated. I grabbed the door two doors down from Neji’s and threw it open, only to find it empty- completely empty. Not even a dust bunny on the wooden floors. Closing the door, I inspected both rooms between and found the same thing. Neji did not have neighbors and there was the strong possibility that no one lived in the section at all.

Horrified, I found myself wondering how anyone found this acceptable as I went back into Neji’s room, ready to ask him many questions. Yet Neji was already asleep, sunken into his comfortable chair with his head resting softly on his shoulder. My heart broke and all my questions died on my lips. I stepped forward and crouched beside the chair.

My poor student looked ready to die and I felt a twinge of pain for his suffering. For all the eyes in the place, not one had noticed his condition and certainly had not tried to stop him. Obviously, no one was responsible for him and he who was was no where to be found. How could I leave my precious, ill student to take care of himself when he could not even stay awake?

I sighed heavily.

It was going to be a long night, possibly a long couple of days. I needed to prepare. Quietly, I located Neji’s backpack and found it made up in case of an unexpected mission. I carefully emptied it out- leaving it organized enough that it would be easy to repack- and went about preparing an overnight bag to last a few days at the most. It did not take long at all, as Neji’s room was organized down to the last thread. I found everything he would need within fifteen minutes and had the bag ready to go by twenty.

Slinging it over my shoulder, I went back and gently touched Neji’s face, murmuring, “Neji. Neji…”

Those white eyes opened, but closed again. His cheeks were flushed with fever and I could hear every breath rattle in his chest.

My lips tightened. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s get you in bed.”

With a few murmured protests, I got Neji up on my back and headed out. I did not look at or bother with the Hyuugas that watched me go and I could care less about them. After all, if they could not take care of their own, what good were they?

I headed into town quickly, but steadily. I was fighting the urge to run, as I could feel the sweat beading on my back from Neji’s fever and my heart was racing with concern. Yet Neji had closed his eyes before we even left the compound and he was resting peacefully on my shoulder, so I did not want to wake him up again. Luckily, the streets were still relatively bare and a few of the shopkeepers looked up, but did not say much.

I reached my apartment complex with little trouble and I climbed the stairs painlessly. I opened my door and locked it behind me. I walked over to my spare room (where I usually housed a very hung-over Kakashi) and pushed the door open with my foot. I turned over my shoulder. “Neji.”

“Hn.”

I could not help the bittersweet smile. I walked over to the bed and pulled down the blankets. I carefully guided my tired student onto the clean sheets. His eyes opened and he looked around curiously, but did not question it. He just rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

Agh, my heart ached for him! I set his backpack down near the bed, then bent down to slide his shoes off, saying quietly, “I want you to lie down and get some rest, alright? We’ve got to get you better.”

Neji nodded absently. God, he looked exhausted…

I sucked up a feeling of dread and reached up to touch his cheek again with the back of my hand. “I’m going to get a washcloth for your face. I’ll be right back.”

Neji just nodded again. I rushed to the bathroom, obtained a washcloth and went to the kitchen. Finding a shallow bowl, I filled it with cool water and dipped the towel in it. I rung it out and took it and the bowl back into my spare room. I almost dropped everything, for what I saw broke my heart: Neji was already asleep, literally passed out on the sheets.

I set the bowl down on the bedside table, grabbed the blankets from the bottom of the bed and pulled them up, tucking them around Neji’s shoulders. He could always change into his bedclothes later. I gently reached under his hair and removed his forehead protector, the straps and the bandages he had underneath.

Though it was not the first time I had seen it, the acid green seal across his forehead still struck me the same and my aching heart went all the more out to my ill student.

I placed the cold washcloth across his forehead, hiding the mark. I sat down on the edge of the bed with a heavy sigh. I could feel the tears springing into the corners of my eyes. I was not ready for this. Illness was part of a vibrant youth, but… that was when it was me or Kakashi or some other kid. Not mine. Not my kids. All I could think about was how bad it was, how bad it could be, how miserable my little student was and the worst scenario kept playing over and over again in my head. The idea that it was something serious, that Neji might not recover was… was horrifying. I knew it was ridiculous. I knew it was probably just a common bug and that Neji would be up and about the next day, but… I just could not shake the thought.

So I lingered by his bedside for a long time, just waiting for something to happen and occasionally changing the cool cloth on his forehead. Many times, I wanted to wake him up and see how he was feeling, but I resisted. Even when I was able to drag myself away from him, I still fretted about him and did so for most of the day, checking in every ten minutes. I fussed around the house, moving things from one spot to the next in an effort to keep my mind off him, yet every sniff, every cough, I was in there.

It was not until late that evening that I convinced myself that he was alright without me and settled down on the couch with an untouched glass of tea. I tried to read, but my ears were tuned into the other room and so was my attention. So when there was a sharp knock on the door, I jumped five feet and had three kunai in my hands before I realized what it was.

My heart racing, I got off the couch and went to answer the door before they persisted. I opened the door and saw the faces of my other little students.

“Lee! Tenten!”

“Sensei, the Hyuugas are stupid!” Tenten complained immediately. “We went there and they wouldn’t let us in. They didn’t even say why!”

I cocked a curious eyebrow. “Hm? Why were you there?”

“To see Neji, of course!” Lee exclaimed, holding up the blue bag in his hand. “We got him ‘Get Well’ gifts and we wanted to give them to him, but they would not let us even explain! They were very rude!”

I could only imagine what that exchange must have been like. Yet I was more surprised than anything. I had not expected such concern from them. Their relationship with Neji had always been more business-like than friendly, and to see them worried was a real shocker. “So… why did you come here?”

“Because we figured you could get us in!” Tenten shoved her fist into her hip, shifting the white flowers in her other arm. “You’re his teacher, they’d have to let you in.”

I chuckled lightly. “You’d think. Well, my precious students, I have good news and bad news for you-“

“Good news first!” Lee interrupted excitedly. “Is it new training?!”

“No, but I’ll have plenty of time to think of something. The good news is that I have brought your teammate here so he can recover, so he will receive your gifts-“

_“Whoo!”_ Lee exclaimed, surging forward. “That is wonderful news-!”

I held an arm out to stop him and pushed him back gently. “The bad news is, you can’t see him.”

“Huh? Why not?” Tenten asked, the concern growing on her face. “What’s wrong? Is it really serious?”

“No, no, don’t worry. I just don’t know if he’s contagious. It’s bad enough that Neji’s sick, I can’t have you two catching it in your budding youth.”

Tenten frowned. “What about you?”

I patted a fist against my chest. “Healthy as a horse, Tenten.”

“So was Neji, just yesterday.”

“All the more reason for you to stay away from him.”

“But, why isn’t he at home? Why are you taking care of him?”

I felt a twinge of discomfort start in my stomach. “It’s… complicated, Tenten. It was just in everyone’s best interest.”

“Wh-“

“No more questions, Tenten. Come now,” I retrieved the gifts from them. “I will pass on your best wishes.”

Both my youthful students looked greatly disappointed, but I could see the concern in their eyes. It made my heart warm as I bid them good night and watched them leave.

I stepped back into the house and closed the door. I fetched a vase and cold water for the flowers and went back into my spare room.

Neji was waiting for my arrival. He looked no better for his rest and those eyes were no more alert than they had been, even if they were trained firmly on me. I sighed and walked to his bedside. I set the flowers down on the bedside table and handed him the bag, crouching at his bedside, “Your teammates came by to give you these.”

Neji glanced at me, then at the bag in his hands. He did not seem to know what to do with it.

“Well, open it.”

For a moment, he just stared at it. There was not a real emotion on his face as he opened the bag, so carefully it was like he suspected it to be full of poisonous snakes. The first thing he pulled out was a card. He opened it delicately, removing the brightly colored card from inside and a shower of glitter spilled off the front of it. Neji looked at the rainbow sparkles on his hands, cocking an eyebrow at them. Then, he opened the card- greeted with more glitter and foil confetti- and he read it quietly.

I began sweeping glitter off the sheets, waiting for him to share what was inside. He read for a long time and his head slowly tilted, just a little. Finally, he closed the card back up and returned it to its envelope. He replaced it inside the bag and set the bag on the bedside table without looking inside it.

Now I was curious. “What’d it say?”

Neji shook his head, absently dusting the rainbow of sparkles off his lap.

“Oh come on. You have to tell me.”

Neji shook his head again, his hand coming up to his lips. He pushed off the covers and stepped out of bed.

“Neji?” I asked, standing up. “Where are you going? You need to be resting.”

He did not acknowledge me, leaving the room. Perhaps his emotions had gotten the better of him and he did not want to cry in front of me! My poor, precious student! He did not want to show me how much the gift meant to him! How touching! How bittersweet!

Then, I heard the obvious sounds of vomiting coming from the bathroom.

My heart sank and the tears of joy turned to tears of empathy. My poor student…

I padded down the hallway and waited nervously outside, waiting for the noise to cease. When it finally did, I knocked gently. “Are you alright, Neji?”

The bitter sound of misery that came from beyond the door was surprisingly childish. I heard the rush of running water before Neji emerged again, looking worse for the experience.

I frowned sympathetically. “Feel any better?”

Neji made a small, noncommittal sound and walked past me, back into the spare room. I followed him in as he sat back on the bed and wrapped himself up in the blankets.

I sighed softly, going in and sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Aren’t tired anymore?”

Neji shook his head. He certainly looked tired and every movement only seemed to make it worse.

“I’m sorry. Can I get you anything?”

Neji shook his head again. Surely there was something. Surely he just did not want to be a bother. I needed to fuss over him, to make sure he knew he was not a burden! “You sure? You should eat or at least stay hydrated-“

Neji sighed heavily. He curled up, burying his face in his knees with a shudder.

I took that as a sign that he did not want to argue and fell into silence. For a while, neither of us really said anything, but I did not want to leave him when he was so miserable. Finally, I set a hand on his foot and squeezed softly. “I’ll be right back, kiddo.”

Neji did not even lift his head. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, cool but not cold. I went back into the spare room and sat back down where I had been. I held it out for him, saying, “Here. You should drink.”

Those eyes came up and just stared at the glass, then shifted past it to stare at me. They were as dead as ever.

“Neji, y-“

“Why are you doing this?”

Good lord, his voice was even worse than before! I did not even think that was possible! “Because. You need to stay hydrated so you can recover.”

Neji pushed the glass away, those glazed eyes never leaving me. “Why are you taking care of me?”

“What do you mean, why?” I asked incredulously. “You’re my precious student and you don’t feel well! I want you to get better!”

“That explains nothing.”

I drew back a little. “No? How? I’m your teacher. I’m supposed to care for you.”

“Others wouldn’t go this far.”

“You’d be surprised. If they didn’t, they’re stupid. Besides,” I ruffled Neji’s hair fondly. “I want to. Being sick is awful.”

Neji sat up, those dead tired eyes looking directly through mine. Then, he stated plainly, “You aren’t like other teachers.”

I laughed halfheartedly, averting my eyes. “So I’ve been told…”

“You take it too lightly.”

He almost sounded like he was chiding me. I shrugged. “I take it in stride. Now drink, kiddo. You aren’t going to get better if you don’t drink plenty of water.”

Neji took the glass from me this time. His movements were graceful even in his ill health, sipping from the glass. Suddenly, he jerked forward, one hand jumping to his mouth. I thought for a moment he was going to be sick again and I grabbed the glass from his hand. “Neji! Are you okay?”

Neji looked like he was struggling, like he was choking. I saw his body jerk several times, before finally he was able to force down the water and was struck by a sudden coughing fit.

I patted his back, trying to relieve it. “You alright?”

The attack left him breathless, drops of water rolling from his fingers. Every gasp hissed on the way down. I could see the slightest shine of tears in those glazed eyes and my heart shattered. My poor student was in pain! Good god, what could I _do?_

“Neji, you stay here! I’ll be right back!” I did not wait for a pained reply. I darted into the bathroom and dug around my medicine cabinet for a bottle of cough syrup. I grabbed it and a spoon from the kitchen, read the label four times and went back into the spare room.

I sat back down and measured out the dosage. “Alright. This should help. Ah…”

Those white eyes flickered between me and the medicine, then he shook his head.

“Neji, please. It’ll make you feel better.”

Neji shook his head again.

“Come on. For me.”

Neji shook his head again and honestly, I could not blame him. That coughing fit had sounded terrible and I could only imagine what it must have felt like. I pressed my lips together. “It’s going to hurt now, but it’ll be worth it later. Trust me.”

Those white eyes just stared apprehensively at the medicine.

“Come on. Ah.”

Finally, Neji took the spoon from me and popped it in his mouth quickly. Yet his hand came up and pressed against his lips anyway when the medicine just would not go down. It took guts on his part, but it was a relief for me when he finally succeeded. Yet it looked like the struggle had exhausted him. What was left of my heart went out to him as he handed me the spoon back. “Good job, kiddo. I know it’s not fun.”

Neji just shook his head, his hand coming down to rest on his throat.

“Don’t worry. This should help and it should also help you get to sleep. Go ahead and lay back down and try not to strain yourself, alright? I’ll be in the other room if you need me.” I ruffled his hair, finding it damp with sweat and hot from the burning of his skin. I wanted to stay, to sit next to him all night and protect him from his own illness, but I forcibly suppressed it.

I left the room, leaving the door cracked so I would easily be able to hear him if he needed me. He never did. He slept through the night and most of the day that followed, only waking up for violent coughing that left him gasping. Any other time, I had to wake him up to get him to eat and even then, it was a struggle against the pain in his throat, his nausea and his exhaustion. What was worse, I noticed how ridiculously swollen the lymph nodes on Neji’s neck had become and I could not imagine what was happening to him, what horrible sickness he was suffering from. And he seemed to only be getting worse.

I had severely underestimated the time necessary for my student’s recovery, a feeling that was settling in on the fourth day when Neji could not even sip a glass of water. I had seen him back to bed, but I was beyond worried. He had lost weight more rapidly than he should have been and I was concerned for how much sleep he was really getting. I was pondering the idea of taking him to the doctor when there was a sharp, firm rapping on my front door.

I hurried over to it before my guest knocked any louder. I opened the door without checking, expecting my two little students back to check on their teammate. I was met with white eyes that burned into my very soul.

“Gai.” Hiashi’s voice was so deathly grave that I felt my knees turn to jelly.

I swallowed nervously. “Hiashi-san. You’re here to see Neji…?”

“Obviously.” Hiashi invited himself into my house, stepping past me through the doorway and into my living room. I could see his eyes wandering around in silent judgement and I feared what would happen if he found anything- anything- unsatisfactory.

I closed the door nervously, my heart racing. “I’m… actually glad you’re here.”

“When I said you were overstepping your boundaries, Gai, I did not intend for you to continue anyway.” Hiashi interrupted sharply, completely ignoring my statement. His eyes were still shifting around my apartment. “I was not surprised, so much as disturbed to hear that you had come and gone with Neji while I was away.”

“Yes, but-“

“Yet what truly disturbs me is that you failed to seek my attention after I arrived yesterday evening.” He turned on me with cold eyes. “It is unpleasant to receive news from a second-hand source, especially involving events like this.”

I honestly did not believe that for a minute. I knew Hiashi had been there and I knew he was only here because it had taken longer than expected. I shrugged, trying to sound apologetic, “If I had known you were back, I would have come see you, but I… was preoccupied.”

“Good. Now how is he?” Hiashi certainly did not sound concerned.

I cleared my throat softly. “Well… he’s… he’s very sick, Hiashi-san, and he’s only getting worse.”

“What are his symptoms?”

I ran off a checklist in my head, thinking off all the things I had just noticed. “Fever, ridiculously sore throat, he’s cold, he’s nauseous, he can’t eat anything-“

“As I thought.” Hiashi pulled out a small bottle and held it out to me. “Give him these, twice a day.”

“What?” I grabbed them and tried to read the complicated name. “What is it? What does he have?”

“They are antibiotics. There has been an outbreak of strep in the Hyuuga household and I believe that he was the original carrier.”

That explained more than anything. Hiashi was not here because Neji was sick, he was here because the rest of his clan was sick. I gritted my teeth, biting back scathing insults. Yet I could not help just one. “I don’t see how he could have given any Hyuuga anything. They’re never around him.”

“That’s the thing about bacteria, Gai,” Hiashi replied, the condescension dripping from his voice. “They don’t need much to spread.”

I wanted to punch him in the face. How dare he speak to me like that, like I was the fool when he was the one failing to take care of his own brother’s son! “Well, thank you, Hiashi-san. I will start these right away.”

“Don’t forget them,” Hiashi stated, moving further into my home. He was so finely tuned to Neji’s chakra that he knew precisely where he was. I wanted to grab him and force him to leave, but I knew I could not get away with it. I followed him closely, ready to intervene.

Hiashi pushed the door open and his sharp eyes immediately landed on Neji, who was dead asleep. I stood back anxiously, watching those eyes carefully scan the room, searching for any sign of misconduct. It took an eternity, a silent, tense eternity… yet when he moved purposefully into the room, my heart leapt violently. But, Hiashi did not wake him. He simply stood over his bedside, his eyes trained somewhere on Neji’s face.

For a moment, all he did was look. Then, his hand came up slowly and hovered just over his nephew’s forehead. I almost thought I saw it shaking, but it easily could have been me. My heart was racing and my entire body was coiled to strike. Then, Hiashi’s hand closed and drew back, falling naturally to his side.

He turned on me with finality, marching towards me and coming toe to toe with me. His voice was quiet, but rang with authority. “You will keep me informed of everything that occurs from now on. I want it in writing and personally delivered.”

My blood boiled and my lips twitched. What right did he have to know anything, when he was too important to take care of his own family? Why should I have to cater to his demands when I was the one who honestly cared? I nodded stiffly. “Of course.”

Hiashi glanced once more at Neji before he turned back to me. His face was inches away from mine. “Do not test me, Gai.”

My hand came up and firmly shoved him away from me. “And don’t test me.”

Hiashi staggered backwards, but recovered as gracefully as ever. Those white eyes were murderous, but his features remained collected. With a single movement, he straightened his robes and brushed passed me.

I heard the door snap shut. I glared over my shoulder, somewhere in its general direction. He had some nerve, some disgusting gall to come here and demand things from me. After all I was doing for him-

There was a heavy coughing from the bed and my eyes darted over, my hand coming up instinctively. Neji shifted under the blankets. I felt my anger pass under the continuous concern.

No…

I was doing it for Neji.


	10. Good Advice

What was left of that day, I spent tending to my student. He did not need much, but everything was a struggle. Even the medicine given to make him better was a cruel joke, as taking pills was absolutely impossible. He only succeeded in taking it after I crushed the pills into a glass of green tea, and even then, it took nearly twenty minutes to get it down and for nearly an hour afterwards, I was concerned it was going to come back up. I could not get Neji to eat, even a little, and I did not blame him. The only thing I could offer him was a warm bath and he did not oppose the idea.

After drawing the water and leaving a replacement pair of his bedclothes on the sink, I left him to his privacy and went to take care of the rest of the house. I stripped his bed and put on fresh sheets. I collected the items that I had collected in there- books, paperwork, water glasses and the like- and returned them to their proper places. I washed dishes from an unsuccessful dinner and by the time I was done, almost thirty minutes had passed.

So I went back to the bathroom and knocked gently on the door. “Neji? You alright?”

There was a small noise from behind the door, something I could only guess was affirmative. I could also hear the rushing sounds of water. I sighed softly and returned to the kitchen to make a fresh pot of tea. I had just taken the leaves from the water when I heard the door to the bathroom open. I tossed the leaves absently in the trash and went to meet him. “How do you feel?”

Neji turned to me without saying anything, but I was overjoyed to see that he did in fact look a little better. The circles under his eyes had faded just slightly and I could no longer hear every breath. The sickness did not seem to be weighing so heavily on his young body, but it was obvious he was far from well.

I grinned. “You look better.”

Neji did not speak. He just went and sat down on the couch, coughing.

My smile faded a little and I went back into the kitchen, fetching two glasses of tea. I walked into the living room and set one glass on the table, handing the other one to my ill student. “Here. It’s fresh.”

Neji accepted it, but did not drink. He just held it in his lap, staring into it. The glass was shaking.

I frowned and grabbed a blanket from the closet. I wrapped it around his shoulders and sat down next to him. “I guess having damp hair does make you cold.”

Neji reached up and touched one of the damp sections spilling over his shoulder. He sighed softly and leaned back against the couch, just staring at the glass in his hands.

I turned away from him, trying to relax in the silence. I had a lot on my mind, though. Besides Hiashi and Neji, I was worrying about my other students. I had put in a request to be relieved from missions the second day, and that same day had asked my rival for a very large favor. I had asked him to oversee my other two students training- personally this time- and I had not heard back from him since on their progress. Of course, he had been judging the hell out of me anyway, so his silent treatment was not a surprise.

Yet I had not seen my students either and that made me worried. Four days was a long time for a genin with no teacher and I could only imagine the valuable learning time being wasted. And how many missions had I been missing? How many times had the Hokage had to rearrange his assignments to accommodate? What if he was forced to send less capable shinobi on my missions and it ended up killing them-

“Sensei.”

I came back to reality at the sad sound of my student. I turned quickly to him. “Yes, Neji?”

“What’s wrong?”

I felt heat rush to my cheeks, realizing that my thoughts must have shown on my face. I forced a grin. “It’s nothing, kiddo. Don’t even worry about it.”

Neji frowned at me. If he bought it, he did not show it, but he did not have the strength to push it. He just turned those eyes away from me, one hand cradling his tea cup, the other teasing a piece of hair. After a moment, it looked as if he were just as troubled as I was.

The guilt came at me hard. How could I let my clever, sick student see me worry when he should be focusing on getting better? I could only imagine what he must have thought I was stressed over and I wanted to reassure him that he was not a bother to me, but I did not want to get into it and risk worrying him further. I could not sit by, though, and let him fret over whether or not I was happy to be taking care of him, when there was absolutely no doubt that I was! What else could I do? What else was there?

I pressed my lips together, searching for the answer in my living room. Yet I found it when my eyes rested on the bathroom door and the little idea switch clicked in my head.

I stood up from the couch, assuring Neji that I would be right back, and went through my bedroom and into my bathroom. I looked around until I found it and I brought it back out to the living room with me. “Hey, Neji.”

Those white eyes came up.

I held up the item in my hand: a simple, wide-toothed comb. “Do you mind?”

Neji just stared at me for a moment and slowly, cocked a questioning eyebrow.

“Oh come on,” I stated, sitting down beside him. “It’ll be relaxing.”

Neji just continued to stare at me with those confused eyes. I thought he would not stop until I gave up on the idea and I was about to, when that eyebrow came down and he hesitantly placed his tea on the table. He turned his back on me apprehensively, those eyes lingering on my face until the last second.

I smiled warmly and I reached under to hold Neji’s hair in my hand. I began at his neck and worked my way down, slowly and gently pulling the comb through the damp strands and easing out the gentle tangles. I had not realized before just how long my student’s hair was and I was plainly a little surprised. After all, his harsh lifestyle should have made it hard to keep up with, but I had not seen him touch it beyond putting it up in the mornings. It certainly seemed to take a lot of care and the strokes of the comb soon grew relaxing in their repetition. I felt a certain kind of peace come over my home, something I had not felt in a long while. It was soothing.

Neji must have thought so, too, as he had nodded off at some point. As he began to sway, I set the comb down on the table and gently guided him down onto the couch. I pulled the blanket out from under him and replaced it around his shoulders, tucking it under his feet. I brushed a stray strand of hair back behind his ear, then sat down at his feet.

I smiled fondly. At least he was feeling better.

There was a casual knock on my door, probably no more than a couple of taps. My smile faded as I went to answer it. I peeked through the peephole and saw the distorted image of my rival, reading that horrid novel of his and tapping with one finger against my door.

I rolled my eyes, but I opened the door for him with a question on my lips. “So? How’s it been going?”

“Oh, well it’s nice to see you, too, Gai,” Kakashi said casually, waving his book but still not looking up from it. “Yes, it is lovely weather we’re having, though I think it may change-“

“Kakashi, give it up. I get it.”

The man looked up at me and his good eye was smiling. “So the kid’s still here.”

I sighed and moved aside for him. “Yeah, and he’s asleep, so don’t wake him up.”

“Oh, I was going to ask to borrow your pots and pans for a garage band…”

“Fuck you, Kakashi.” I lead him into the living room and offered him a seat. I saw his eye stray to Neji and I could not see whether it was disapproval or acknowledgement on his masked face. I wandered toward the kitchen. “Tea?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

I returned with a glass and sat back down where I had been sitting. “So?”

Kakashi hooked a finger under his mask and pulled it down. He took an appreciative sip from his glass and sighed. He turned to me, drawling, “So…?”

“How’s training been going?”

“Oh, it’s been fine. They’ve gotten a lot better since last time I babysat them. I’m kinda impressed.”

“You should be. They are improving at a rapid rate and I could not be any prouder!”

“Mm-hm…” Kakashi’s mouth twisted upwards and I could tell he had a huge secret.

I leaned forward. “What? What are you hiding?”

Kakashi waved me away, that slick smile just slightly widening. “It’s nothing. Nothing at all.”

“Come on, rival. Tell me! Did Tenten finally get those scrolls finished? Did she perfect that nunchaku technique she’s been working on? Did Lee figure out the block to that kick yet? Oh my god, don’t tell me he has gotten the hang of that combination we were working on! I wanted to see that!”

“Things don’t always have to be about you, Gai,” Kakashi drawled teasingly. “Maybe I want to talk about my kids…”

“Your… Kakashi, you lucky bastard!” A hand slapped over my mouth and my eyes snapped over, but luckily, Neji did not stir. I lowered my voice and turned back to Kakashi. “When? That class is going to graduate in the next few days! Why didn’t you say something before?”

Kakashi shrugged. “I wanted it to be a surprise. After all, you seemed so disappointed last time…”

“I was, but now I’m excited. My team is finally going to have a rival squad, and it will be my rival’s squad nevertheless-!”

“Hey, hey, slow down, Gai,” Kakashi set his glass down on the table. “At least give my team a chance to catch up before your little monsters try and kill them.”

“Psh, you say that like they’re going to,” I retorted proudly. “Your team is going to suck in comparison, rival. I hope you’re prepared for that.”

“Hm… I dunno,” Kakashi’s good eye rolled. “I’ve got the top kid in my class.”

I grimaced. “Well, I can see why, but…”

“I’m not really worried about him. He has serious baggage, but his stats so far look promising. The other two… maybe not so much.”

“Oh?”

“Uh-huh. One of them looks like she’s all brawn, no brain and the other… well, let’s just say he’s Lee without all the conviction.”

I chuckled. “Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, huh, Kakashi?”

“Yeah…” I could tell there as more he was holding back, but I tried not to press him. He would come out with it when it suited him. Instead, I took the chance to vent some of my problems. “Speaking of baggage, guess who stopped by today?”

“Hiashi.”

“No fair, Kakashi. Who told you?”

“I figured he’d be pissed off at you. I mean, you did pull one hell of a stunt.”

“It is not a stunt! I was legitimately concerned for my student’s health! If he had been taking care of Neji like he was suppose to, Neji would not be here! It is his own fault!”

“Look, Gai, I’ve judged you on this already and I told you I think you’re in over your head here, but if Hiashi didn’t kill you, that sounds like his blessing to me,” Kakashi shrugged once more. “So good for you.”

I frowned. “I am concerned, though, for when he returns-“

“Stop. Stop right there,” Kakashi sat forward in his chair, pointing at me. “Don’t keep pushing your luck with the Hyuuga clan, Gai. Either they’re going to get sick of you meddling or you’re going to stumble upon something you shouldn’t.”

“Someone needs to stumble upon something in that house…” I muttered bitterly.

“Gai. Quit trying to fix things. The Hyuuga clan is a time bomb. Their system of government is a mess and they are two steps away from an internal war. Don’t be the guy that starts it.”

I rolled my eyes with a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to, but there’s so much wrong with it and I feel like Neji is suffering needlessly-“

Kakashi’s features softened for me and he sat back in his seat. “I don’t see why you’re so attached, Gai.”

A sympathetic smile pulled my lips. I chuckled and gently laid a hand on Neji’s feet. “You will.”

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at me and reached down to pull his mask back over his face. “If it’s going to make me want to bring one of them into my house, maybe I need to back out of this whole ‘genin’ thing.”

“Don’t even dare. You’re keeping your promise one way or another. You’re just at a disadvantage now.”

Kakashi stood up, picking up his glass from the table and heading around towards the kitchen. “Or you got a very needed headstart.”

“Oh you wi-“

I felt Neji shift beside me and I let my outburst fall. I saw those white eyes blink owlishly, that tired body sit up just a little. He just stared ahead of him for awhile, like he did not quite know where he was. Then, those pale eyes focused on Kakashi.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask and he ruffled Neji’s hair. “Hey, munchkin. You look terrible.”

Neji batted him away, scowling.

“Don’t mess with him, Kakashi,” I warned. “He doesn’t feel well.”

“Obviously. What do you have, kid?”

“Strep throat.” I answered. “So quit trying to make him talk.”

“Ooh, tough luck, kid.” Kakashi grimaced. “I had that when I was younger. It really, really sucked for nearly two weeks. On the bright side, I didn’t have to have my tonsils removed.”

I gave him an exasperated stare. “What does that even have to do with it?”

“Oh, I was coughing so much, it actually ripped them out of my throat. Piece by piece.” Kakashi shrugged. “It was disgusting, but hell, how much more could it hurt, right? Two birds, one stone.”

Neji stared in what only could have been horrified silence.

I punched Kakashi in the shoulder, making him stagger. “Don’t tell him that! You’re going to scare him!”

“It didn’t hurt any more than the actual sickness.” Kakashi complained, rubbing his shoulder. “I’m just sharing my experiences.”

“Share your good experiences!”

“There aren’t any. Strep sucks.”

“You know what I mean!”

Kakashi rolled his eyes and took his glass into the kitchen, shouting, “I hope you catch it, Gai. Then you’ll know what I’m on about.”

I made a face in his general direction, then turned back to Neji. “You’ll be fine. He’s being dramatic.”

Neji shrugged. From the look on his face- if I did not know better- I would have assumed he had been coughing up his tonsils since day one and nothing honestly surprised me.

Kakashi emerged from the kitchen, his fingers interlaced behind his neck. He yawned. “Well, whatever, Gai. I just came to keep you posted on how your other kids are doing.”

“What?! You didn’t tell me anything!”

“I didn’t? Hm…” Kakashi wandered towards the door. “Bye, Gai. See you around, munchkin.”

Neji waved from his place on the couch, but I was not about to let Kakashi off so easily. I went after him. “Kakashi! Kakashi, you hip son of a bitch, come back here! Tell me about my students! Kakashi!”

Kakashi grinned around the door and shut it before I could grab him. I grabbed the door and threw it open, just to catch the wisps of white smoke as they dispersed. I grunted in frustration. That man knew how to push all my buttons!

I closed the door back with a sharp snap and went back into the living room, catching the judgmental stare of my sick student. I averted my eyes sheepishly, stating firmly, “Don’t use that kind of language. It’s very rude.”

Neji cocked an accusing eyebrow.

“I know, I know. Kakashi just makes sensei frustrated.”

Neji rolled his eyes away from me.

“Don’t give me that. Kakashi brings out the worst in me, alright? There I said it.”

Neji did not reply, just pulled his blanket off the couch, coughed and went back to try and sleep off his illness.


	11. Recovery! The Prodigy Returns!

That was kind of how the next day went and the day after that, as well. The antibiotics seemed to truly be helping, as I began to see marked improvement and I was hopeful that Neji would be back up within three days.

As the days passed, I grew more and more accustomed to having him in my home and it almost seemed normal now to see him. As he regained his strength, I began to see him more and more and even those long conversations started to return, one word at a time. It began to feel like Neji was just visiting rather than laid up with some tonsil-stripping illness.

We were rounding day eight when I woke up and saw the clock near by bed reading seven AM. I had screwed up my sleeping schedule severely with what was in retrospect needless fussing and I was not surprised that I had overslept by two hours. I yawned widely as I stepped out of bed. I absently threw on some house clothes and ran my fingers through my hair as I stepped out of my bedroom, walking down the hallway and heading towards the kitchen. The sun was already shining through the open blinds as I walked through the living room, running into the couch and the table on my way into the kitchen. I started a pot of coffee and fetched the newspaper from my doorstep- again, running into the couch on my way past. I tossed the paper absently on the living room table and went to wake my student up for breakfast.

I pushed open the door and glanced inside. “Neji, a- huh?”

The bed had been stripped down and a fresh set of sheets had been applied so flawlessly a coin would have bounced off them. The flowers had been put in fresh water and placed by the window. Neji’s extra clothes were missing, as were his bag and shoes. The floor had been swept and the furniture dusted. The room was spotless, as if no one had ever been there. Curious, I walked back into the living room and again, ran into several pieces of my furniture.

Cursing, I looked around and found that it had all been rearranged- into perfect parallels and right angles. In fact, my weights had been moved as well, neatly organized by their bench. Even the sheets from Neji’s bed were lying on the couch, folded neatly along with the laundry I had left in the dryer a few nights before. I was now wondering how I had slept through such a thorough cleaning of my apartment. I made my way back into the kitchen and found Neji sitting down at the dining table with a cup of coffee, patiently working his way through that morning’s crossword in the newspaper.

Those eyes came up and I noticed immediately the old alertness in them.

“Morning, Neji. You look much better.” I wandered over and took a seat next to him. I felt his forehead, earning a dissatisfied murmur. As I had hoped, his fever had broken the night before. He was still warm though. I dropped my hand. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.”

“You sound better. That’s promising! Are you actually feeling up to breakfast this morning?”

Neji shrugged and flicked his pen off the last letter in a word. “I don’t have much of an appetite, sensei.”

“Well, give it a shot. You haven’t eaten much of anything since you got here.”

Neji shrugged. “Whatever helps you sleep.”

I stood back up and went to the cabinets, gathering items for an easy breakfast. I threw a pan on the stove and set it to high heat. “So… you feeling up to training?”

“Yes.”

I chuckled lightly. “I was just kidding, Neji. You’re still sick.”

“But not contagious.”

I leaned back to give him a look through the doorway. “How do you know?”

Neji did not look up from his crossword. “The antibiotics fix that after twenty-four hours. Didn’t you read the bottle?”

I frowned. “I read the important stuff.”

I turned back to breakfast, tapping a few eggs into the hot pan. “You sure you’re even up for it?”

“No, but anything’s better.”

I laughed and left the eggs to cook. I tossed a few slices of bread in the toaster, then took two sets of chopsticks out of a drawer. “Hey. Catch.”

Neji’s hand came out and caught them lightly, setting them on the table before marking down another word on his crossword. His reflexes were back to normal. I grabbed two plates out of the cabinet and the toast out of the toaster. I placed the eggs on the plates and served the toast with butter and jam. I set his plate in front of him and sat down. “How’s your crossword coming?”

“Slowly but surely.”

As we ate, I watched him, nothing the certain rhythm to the switching of pen to utensils. He certainly spent more time on his crossword than on eating and I thought he was going to be sick again. Then, I noticed something very strange. “Neji?”

He looked up with a roll of those white eyes. “Yes?”

“Do you write _backwards?”_

Neji cocked an eyebrow, glanced at the newspaper, then looked back up. “Yes.”

“Why?”

He shrugged and set his chopsticks across his plate, having barely made a dent in breakfast. He made a last few marks on his crossword, noting something in the margins. He flipped the newspaper over, bit into a piece of toast and began work on the three boxes of Sudoku.

“I never understood Sudoku. It takes me forever.”

“That’s surprising.”

I could not tell if he was being sarcastic or not. I watched as his pen flicked over the rows and columns, writing in numbers every few seconds. It was taking him minutes to finish a game that was supposed to entertain people through breakfast and possibly the commute to work. In no time, he had folded up the newspaper and set it aside for good. I could not believe he was finished already. It could only have been around five minutes! That was less than two minutes a puzzle. Surely, that was impossible.

He caught my dumbfounded face out of the corner of those pale eyes, but did not truly acknowledge it. He just brushed his face with a napkin and stood up.

“Still nauseous, Neji?”

“Yes.” He picked up his plate.

I practically leapt out of my chair to stop him. “I can get that-!”

Neji turned on me suddenly. “You need to get dressed.”

I glanced down to find that I was- in fact- still in my house clothes. I awkwardly allowed him to clear his own dishes and watched him go into the kitchen. It was a shame that he was not himself yet, but he was certainly getting there and that was promising enough. I turned back to the table and spotted the carefully folded newspaper across from me. I curiously picked it up and turned it to the page he had been working on. I ran my finger down the margins, where I saw the reversed timestamps.

He had been timing himself.

The numbers were impressive.

I heard the water shut off in the kitchen and I went to quickly throw some decent clothes on. When I came back, the kitchen was spotless and the dishes had been dried and put away. There was not even a crumb on the table where Neji was now sitting, finally reading the newspaper he had been focused on all morning.

I placed my hands on my hips. “You work fast.”

Neji nodded absently in acknowledgement.

“Do you regularly clean other people’s houses?”

“Only when I’ve been subject to them for long periods.”

Whether that was a jab or a statement, I was not sure. I pressed my lips together nervously. I was conflicted. I was eager to be out of the house and to get Neji back on track, but I did not want to risk jump-starting a dying illness. Neji certainly seemed alright and expressed interest in going to training, but his continued lack of any appetite concerned me.

I had to be sure. I thought up something that could have been considered a test, assessed the risks and decided to go for it. I approached him casually, carefully reaching-

“Sensei, do you want children?”

The sudden question stopped me in my tracks. I cocked an eyebrow. “Uh… sure. I suppose one day.”

Neji looked up with a serious expression. “Then I highly suggest not doing what you are thinking about.”

I felt the threat in the alluded places and cringed instinctively. I did not doubt him for a minute, but I was also confident in my abilities. I raised my hands teasingly. “Nonsense.”

I grabbed for him and he sprung out of my hands like a rabbit, diving under the table where I could not follow and darting out the other side. I swung around to try and catch him, but he slid under my feet and made a dash for the closest exit. I took a single pounce and tackled him, pinning him to the ground with one hand and attacking his ribs with the other.

He struggled valiantly, writhing under my hands. “Sensei! Cut it out!”

I laughed. “Wh-“

I did not see it, but I heard Neji’s foot before it slammed into the side of my head and knocked me clear over. I was shaking stars out of m eyes as I sat up. He certainly was strong again.

Neji shook himself indignantly, glaring at me over his shoulder. “What was that?!”

“Just testing you, kiddo, and you definitely passed.” I chuckled lightly, feeling the edges of what would be a nasty bump later on. I grinned. “Wanna go see if your teammates are at the training grounds?”

Neji scowled, straightening his clothes. “No! You are so random!”

“Come on. I’ll race you!”

“I don’t want to race.”

Anything further was dangerous antagonization, but I was feeling rambunctious. I got to my feet and ruffled his hair. “It’ll be fun! Come on!”

“No. I won’t do it.”

“Fine, spoilsport. I won’t race you.” I grabbed him under the arms and threw him up onto my shoulders, racing towards the door. “I’ll just carry you the whole way!”

“No! Sensei, put me down! You are such an embarrassment!”

Neji complained a lot- mostly on the stairs down from my apartment- but he gave it up when he realized it was a waste of breath. While I was disappointed he did not get into it, I was completely okay with his resignation to reluctant silence. In fact, I even took the time to greet Kakashi as I ran past him and I could tell that he was happy to see us both out and about just by the look on his face.

As we approached the training grounds, I could hear my other two students sparring before I reached the gate and it made my heart race. I was so excited to be back in action! I just had to see their bright, shining-!

Suddenly, Neji’s hands fell over my eyes and engulfed the world in darkness. I skidded to a halt, trying to free myself. “Neji, what the heck? What are you doing?”

“Put me down.”

“No way! We’re already here!”

“Precisely. You are not dragging me in there like this. I’d rather die.”

I looked up at what I assumed was him. “Oh come on. You are so dramatic.”

Neji lifted his hands off my eyes and I found myself looking directly into his unamused face. “Put me down.”

“Fine.” I let go of Neji’s legs and let him jump off my shoulders. I gently nudged him. “Spoilsport.”

Neji straightened his clothes with an exasperated sigh. “And you are a very strange person, sensei. We all have our bits.”

I shrugged. “I guess. Come on! Your teammates are already inside! They’re going to be so absolutely thrilled to see you!”

I rushed up on the gates and threw them open, running inside.

**_“Gai-sensei!”_** Lee’s voice was the first thing I heard and I saw his face appear from around a training dummy peppered with kunai. “You are back!”

“Neji!” Tenten’s excited squeal was uncharacteristic, but appropriate. She rushed forward, throwing her arms around Neji’s neck and giving her leg an adorable little kick. “You’re all better!”

She suddenly shoved him away, brushing her hands off. “You are all better, right?”

“Yes-“

Lee gave him a hearty slap on the back, nearly overbalancing him. “We thought you would never come back! You are feeling better, yes?”

“I just s-“

“Did you get our gifts? Gai-sensei said he’d give them to you.”

“I did-“

“Did you like them? We did not know what to get you, so we had to guess!”

“I did-“

“Ah! It is so awesome to have you back, Neji!” Tenten exclaimed excitedly, throwing her hands on her hips. “It’s been boring around here without you.”

Neji drew back just a little. “Whatever…”

“We are not even kidding!” Lee agreed loudly. “Training has not been the same without your youthful face, Neji! We missed you!”

Now, I was fairly sure it was the lighting, but I thought for a moment that I saw Neji blush before he averted those pale eyes. “You’re ridiculous…”

“Did you miss us, Neji?” Lee asked. “Gai-sensei would not let us see you.”

Neji did not look at him, but he almost looked like he wanted to say something.

Tenten grinned. “Aw, you did! You missed us!”

“No-“

Tenten punched him in the shoulder. “Admit it. You missed us.”

Neji rolled his eyes.

Lee cocked a heavy eyebrow at him. “Is Tenten correct, Neji? I thought you did not like us.”

Neji frowned, those eyes turning towards Lee. “I never said I didn’t like you.”

“You sure act like it!”

“Because I believe your beliefs are stupid, your goals laughable and your antics annoying beyond comprehension. But, that is different from not liking you.”

Lee stared at him for a moment. Then, he shouted, “It is not!”

“Is so.”

Tenten waved Lee away. “Oh, shut up, Lee. That’s the nicest thing he’s ever said to you! Take it or leave it.”

“The sad part is that it is true!” Lee glared at Neji. “Why did you wait so long to say that! I thought you hated me!”

“If you say things too much, they lose meaning.”

The quiet statement silenced the entire training field. Every eye was stuck on Neji, who awkwardly shrugged. I felt the emotions start welling up in my chest. They had done it! They had finally become a team! It was so inspiring and youthful, I just wanted to cry! I wanted to resist for the sake of preserving the moment, but I just could not. I grabbed my students up in my arms, cuddling them tightly in a group hug. “You three! You have finally done it! You have become a _team!_ I am _so_ proud of you, my adorable little students!”

Neji made a dissatisfied murmur. “Sensei, you’re embarrassing…”

Lee shot a nasty glare at him. “Shut up! We are having a momentous team moment!”

Neji glared back more effectively. “Make me.”

“Fine!” Lee surged in my arms.

Tenten elbowed both of them. “Stop it! You’re ruining the moment!”

Lee pushed her. “Cut it out!”

“Make me!” Tenten kicked him.

Suddenly, I had a wrestling match in my arms and I was forced to let them go. Tenten immediately pounced on Lee and proceeded to choke-hold him. Neji had escaped, but his freedom was short-lived. Lee kicked Tenten off him and tackled Neji instead. I watched the three-way wrestling match unfold and found my heart growing warm at the sight. It was a strange feeling, proudly watching my students beat each other senseless. Who would win, I could only guess, but it was nice that they had- for a moment- connected on a deeper level.

Perhaps there was hope for us yet.


End file.
